Pony Tales - Clover - Day 12

The question of how many laps Clover was to do on the circle was answered over the course of the day. Every hour, Eden would add a new obstacle. A ramp. An uneven tire to step over. A small block of wood for her to make a tiny jump over and so on. Eden was impressed with her progress. It was near the end of the day and Clover was currently walking the circle confidently. She was lathered head-to-toe in sweat, she was panting, and based on how much her legs were shaking she was in pain. A pain that Eden, a previous pony, knew all too well. Eden looked to the sun setting on the horizon and checked her watch. They had about an hour left at this point before she had to turn Clover over to the groom in the barn for the end-of-day routine.

Two snaps of the whip brought Clover to a quick and obedient halt. The first time she'd stopped in nearly three hours. She panted heavily, her legs threatening to buckle beneath her. Eden wasn't trying to hurt her, she was trying to push Clover as far as possible to both force her into that submissive mindset, but also to see her dedication. How much she was willing to push herself as a pony. Those who gave up easily, did not usually last long, and yet here was Clover on hour eight, still pushing, almost to the point where she was going to collapse.

The difference between a good trainer and a bad one was knowing when to stop. Eden walked up quietly to Clover, fingers tugging the pony's blonde hair out of its ponytail and letting it cascade about her gently. Eden leaned down, looking in Clover's half-lidded eyes, and ran her fingers very gently through her soft, sweaty mane. Clover blushed visibly, but leaned into the hand, enjoying the soft affection. Being petted really pushed a button for her she didn't know she had.

With a smile, Eden spoke, "Despite our rough start. I am extremely proud to have been able to train you today Clover. I hope I'll get the privilege in the future. But for now, I think you're about ready to retire for the day. It's been a very long day for you and having heard about your night yesterday, I think it's prudent we send you off just a little early. So just give me a few moments to go make some arrangements for you inside and then we'll get you settled and with some dinner, ok?"

Clover stomped a hoof, her leg buckling beneath her. Eden was quick, catching her easily, "Whoa. Easy there, girl. Be stronger a bit longer. Stand for a few minutes more." She helped Clover stand up unsteadily and turned, hurrying off towards the barn without another word, leaving Clover standing there, legs shaking beneath her.

It might have felt like an eternity. But during her wait, a visitor came to see Clover. From behind a row of bushes behind the whip circle, emerged the familiar redheaded pony. As usual, her hands were unbound and no bit sat nestled between her teeth. She trotted up easily beside Clover and shuffled against her slightly, nuzzling her head and then body up against Clover's shoulder, wrapping an arm around her waist gently in support. Clover couldn't help but lean on her slightly. The redheaded pony pressed a tiny button on her harness and the sound of a soft reassuring nicker echoed from the hidden speaker.

Clover looked at the smaller pony, thankful for the support. The redhead led Clover's gaze downwards to her feet and then lifted her chin with a finger. She offered a kind of sideways smile and shuffled her own feet and puffing out her chest proudly. She then tapped her wrist gently.

It took Clover a long moment to figure out what the pony was trying to say. It felt like she was trying to reassure her that it would get better with time. She offered the redhead a weak smile, still leaning on her. Clover was surprised at the pony's strength, bearing most of Clover's weight as her legs shook and pain crept up from her feet and into the rest of her body. To the redhead's credit, she never once budged until in the distance, Eden emerged from the barn.

The redhead nudged Clover up slightly and once she was standing on her own two hooves she leaned in and nuzzled up under Clover's chin, offering one final bright smile, lifting her chin proudly. Clover couldn't help but smile a little, noting the odd horizontal scar across the pony's neck before the redhead trotted off and disappeared into the nearby bushes.

Clover stood shakily on her hooves as Eden came over, eyeing the bushes for a long moment and chuckling, "She's taken a liking to you. I can't remember the last time Daydream actually interacted much with another pony. She's quite shy. Be nice to her if you see her. She's a delicate one that one."

Daydream. So that was her name. Clover glanced towards the bushes curiously as Eden unclipped her bridle from the lead attached to the post, "Come along, Hayley said she'll do your end-of-the-day grooming early." She led Clover towards the barn, letting the pony choose the pace based on the extremely painful steps she was taking. Eden walked along slowly, just relaxing as the day grew cooler and the sun climbed lower and lower on the horizon. Most of the training for the day was winding down and most ponies would be getting prepped for their end-of-day grooming and stalling.

Into the barn, though the roll-up garage-style door, they went. Waiting for them was the brunette trainer wearing more casual clothes than usual. Eden stifled a chuckle, "Didn't want to get your trainer outfit dirty?"

Hayley puffed out her cheeks slightly, "No. You know how hard it is to get mud out of white breeches?" She grumbled and stepped forwards, hooking a finger into Clover's bridle who followed the soft tug obediently, "Hmn...She's settled into things quickly hasn't she?"

Eden nodded, "More so than most. I'm curious why she opted for the trial period. Either she was a pony previously or a pony in a past life. Because she's taking to it very well."

Hayley patted Clover's flank, "Eden is hard to impress. So you must be doing something right."

Clover shuffled quietly, her legs shaking a little more.

"Alright, Eden. I think I need to get on this quick, she's definitely on the verge of collapse. Stay nearby ok?"

With a polite nod, Eden went off to check a few nearby stalls to make sure the ponies in them were properly set up for the night and to make sure Clover's stall was properly set up.

Hayley turned and pulled Clover into a side room full of a dozen or so concrete shower stalls. None of which were currently in use. Each stall had a shelf of wash products and implements as well as several hooks on the wall. Hayley led Clover into the closest stall and smiled, "Always hope for this stall. It has the best hot water." Hayley said with a giggle as she led Clover to stand in the middle, "Now just stand still and relax ok?"

Clover stomped very softly.

"That sore huh?"

Clover stomped once again.

Hayley nodded and hurried about her tasks. The first of which came in the form of untacking. First Clover's armbinder was unlaced and slide off, being hung on one of the many hooks in the stall. From there a pair of soft black cuffs trimmed in green were buckled around her wrists and hooked to a small chain hanging down from overhead to keep Clover in place as Hayley went about her task. Next came the harness and bodysuit. Hayley peeled them away from Clover's sweat-soaked form leaving the pony shivering slightly as the cool barn air came up to greet her naked form.

Hayley hung each item up before circling around and reaching up to start undoing the buckles on the bridle atop the ponies head, "Now, just because this is off. That doesn't mean you can talk. Stay silent and keep your training in mind Pony." Clover didn't respond. She just allowed Hayley to undo the buckles and slide the bridle off, the bit popping out of her mouth and eliciting a tiny groan of pain as her sore mouth eased shut.

"Now, this is the normal process before bedtime. Every day a groom will take you. Untack you, wash you down, wash your tack down and get you into your nighttime tack which is essentially just cuffs and a lovely panel gag. Occasionally a blindfold for the cheekier ponies or those who have a hard time sleeping with the soft light in the barn." Hayley said this as she began unlacing each of Clover's boots.

"On top of that, each morning will be the same. You'll be taken out by a groom, tacked for the day then returned to your stall for breakfast before a trainer comes to collect you. Mistress Aria determines the schedule for each day. I haven't checked yours for tomorrow but I THINK since Eden is happy with your progress you might be put into some more advanced training. Perhaps even some skills." She eased off each of Clover's boots, causing the girl to cry out slightly as her feet were eased onto the ground.

She winced and whimpered audibly, her eyes full of tears from the pain.

Hayley set the boots to the side and patted Clover's cheek softly, "It gets easier. I promise. Eventually, you'll barely even know you're wearing those hooves. I promise."

Hayley turned on the shower in front of Clover, making sure it was fairly warm and then nudging the pony forwards before setting about the task of grooming her properly. Shampoo, Conditioner, Body wash, and even a good ten-minute massage on each of her feet as Hayley soaped up her body. Clover was shaking and groaning in thanks for that part. When finished, Hayley gave her a final rinse, taking an otoscope and looking into each of Clover's ears, checking for buildup or ticks. After a nod of approval, she set about teasing the knots out of Clover's mane and then tugging it back in a thick blonde braid at the back of her head. A curly ponytail in the morning would suit her.

Once finished, she pushed an adjustable dental gag into Clover's mouth, ratcheting her jaw open to its soft limit and taking her time brushing down her teeth and rinsing out her mouth. The toothpaste tasted like apples, because of course it did. Once she was finished she released the gag and set it to the side.

Walking to the shelves on the side she retrieved a black panel gag from the side and held it up, "Ponies wear these at night. It keeps you quiet still, but also lets your jaw rest for the night. So close your mouth please." Clover eased her mouth shut as the panel was expertly buckled around her lower face, "Be glad you're not a mare. They wear full hoods with only their nostrils and mouth exposed, filled with a thick bit."

Clover shuffled and huffed a little bit.

Hayley giggled, "Don't worry. That punishment is reserved for brats and those who ask for it. We've got two currently who requested to be kept as mares. The other two are punishment cases."

Once she'd finished buckling the gag into place, Hayley took a few moments to rub down Clover's entire body with a sweet-smelling lotion, explaining that they took good care to make sure ponies were well kept at Tall Tails. That much seemed to be clear.

With a bright smile, Hayley clapped her hands together, "And that's basically the whole end of the day process. Next, we get you tucked into your stall for the evening, and then it's lights out! Do you think you're able to walk to your stall? It's about a three-minute walk?"

Clover looked down at her feet for a moment, taking one tiny step and wincing. She wanted to say no. But she also didn't want to disappoint.

Hayley was quick to notice the hesitation and smiled as she caressed Clover's cheek, "A little lesson. There is such thing as pushing yourself too hard, and it IS ok to say no sometimes. Nobody is going to judge you for that."

Clover looked down at her feet, Hayley's finger pushed her chin back up, "What did I tell you about looking at your feet. Be proud, you did well today. Let me get a chair to wheel you to your stall."

Hayley disappeared around a corner and came back wheeling an old-school-looking wheelchair, "We keep this around for ponies in their first few days. Often times a groom is unable to get a pony to their stall with sore feet. So we keep the SOS chair around, just in case." She beamed and undid the chain attached to Clover's cuffs and nudged the chair into the back of her legs. Her legs buckled almost immediately, tumbling her into the chair. Hayley nodded her approval and swung out of the wash stall and into the main barn.

"I think mash tonight is macaroni and cheese. A bit of a favorite around the barn. So enjoy it!" She said with a giggle.

They swung around into the main aisle of the barn, making their way down to Clover's stall. Which had a bit of a facelift over the course of the day. No longer was her name written on a chalkboard on the stall. Now a nameplate with her name engraved in it and painted with green, a tiny little clover symbol next to it was bolted to her stall. The floor of the stall had been lined with a layer of soft, sweet-smelling hay and a brand new cot was mounted to the wall in the stall.

Hayley eyed a tiny wrapped-up package on top of the post beside the door. A small notecard sat atop it reading 'Clover First Day Care Package -Staff'

Hayley leaned down and showed it to Clover and smiled, "A bit of a gift from all of us at the barn. Would you like to see?"

Clover tilted her head and nodded since her feet couldn't reach the ground.

Hayley unwrapped the small box and eased the top open. Inside was a small capsule of white painkillers, a green hair tie with sparkling silver glitter, a photo of Clover climbing over the ramp in the whip circle, it had been given a bit of a filter and looked quite pretty, and then finally, resting in the middle of a jewelry case was a necklace of silver with the name 'Clover' holding two ends of the chain together on it. On each side of the name was a four-leafed clover set with sparkling gems.

Hayley smiled brightly and pet Clover's hair softly whose eyes had welled with tears yet again today.

"Welcome to Tall Tails Clover. We are happy to have you with us. Even if it may be for only a short time." Hayley plucked the necklace out and buckled it around Clover's neck, she also took two of the white tablets and held them up, "From Christoph, for your feet." She pulled the panel off of Clover's mouth and gave her a sip of water and let her swallow two of the tablets, "Now those painkillers pack a bit of a punch so let's get you into your stall and resting." She put Clover's gag back in place before she wrapped up the package and set it back on the post and wheeled Clover into the stall, the chair gliding over the hay and coming up beside the cot, a brand new crisp white mattress had been placed atop it and right now it looked like the most inviting thing in the world.

With the help of Hayley, Clover climbed onto the mattress and laid down on it. Groaning loudly.

Hayley looked down at her with a soft smile, grabbing the bottle of mash from outside the stall and clipping it into a hook right beside Clover's head, "Lazy meal for you today. Eat and then rest. You're going to need that energy of yours for tomorrow."

Clover drew in a deep breath and let out a whinny of appreciation.

"Very good whinny Clover. Keep that up. See you tomorrow." She blew the pony a kiss and wheeled the chair out of the stall, closing the wooden dutch door and locking it behind her. A few moments later the light in Clover's stall went out and all you could hear was her easing the steel straw behind the panel gag and sucking down her dinner of Mac n' cheese mash which was just as good as it sounded.

Clover couldn't help but smile at the contents of the package and kind words after her first day. It had been a hard day indeed but somehow, despite the hardships, the pain, and the mistakes. The people here had still found a way to lift her spirits and make her comfortable in her choice in having decided to come to this place.

As she finished her meal and her eyes started to get heavy she let Hayley's words slip into her head and send her off with a smile...

Welcome to Tall Tails.