Engineer

By Xaltatun of Acheron

What has gone before.

In the first new Arizona Community story from my pen in over three years, Larry Thompson is assigned to go out to Engineering school. We discover in short order that one of the soon to graduate ponygirls, Linnet, has the same psi powers as Alice, so she�s assigned to Larry, and Larry has to learn how to care for a ponygirl, in addition to his already heavy study load preparing for engineering school. He starts training with Raindance, and then his twin sister, Suzi, puts her foot into it. We get to see Suzi �volunteer� to start her two years as a community trainee ponygirl, and then see Larry put a new ponygirl through orientation. Time passes, and Linnet finishes the second part of her training, and is ready to be sold � or so she thinks.

Larry and his mother discover an odd situation at the auction where they are to pick up Linnet, and they wind up with a community trainee for his sister, Diana. They get the two �girls situated in their cells with their training team. Linnet learns that she�s going to be working closely with Larry on his project, and Diana gets some practice in hitching a ponygirl to a chariot and driving her. The perpetrator of the odd situation gets her comeuppance.

Larry does his interviews for engineering school. His possession of a ponygirl gets him an apartment with the rest of the sexual oddballs, not that he�s complaining about not having to spend the first year in the dorms with the rest of the freshmen!

Larry and Linnet put on a �magic� show for a local BDSM society, and they wind up breaking up a ring of unlicensed prostitutes that haven�t paid their dues to the shadowy organization that provides STD control to sex workers. (It�s the Arizona Community, through a couple of proxies, which is how he got involved.) In handling that, they discover a couple of their client�s daughters caught in the dragnet. Neither of them is in particularly good odor with their parents (or anyone else, for that matter) so Larry makes them an offer they can�t refuse. He�s going to use them to try out a new method of initial ponygirl training.

The way they handled the prostitutes gets them noticed by the police, and they reach a deal. Amanda and Connie begin training in parallel with trying to bring their grades up. They wind up coming along nicely, so Larry begins taking them out for morning exercise by teleporting to various unsettled places and riding them. Diana, riding her ponygirl, joins them on occasion.

Alice shows up to try to help Connie, who is having a bit of a problem, and the police ask for assistance with a rather weird looking casualty of a gang war.

 

Chapter 22. Pilot Project.

�Why are we doing nine girls for a pilot test?� Joe asked.

�So we don�t scare the crap out of them by mixing them with the other trainees,� Tami answered with a bit of asperity. �It�s not that unusual in the first few weeks for half the girls to be crying themselves to sleep, and upsetting the other half into the bargain.�

�Even if this works, I wouldn�t be too surprised if a lot of them don�t have nightmares. I know I did!� a buxom blonde named Jo contributed.

�I understand that,� Joe said. �Why nine? Why not ten?�

�Because we�re holding the tenth cell for Linnet in case we need her,� Tami said. �I thought you were here for the full briefing.�

�I looked at the list of numbers and names,� Joe said. �What�s a Linnet?�

Joe suddenly looked around at the startled faces. �You mean I should know?�

�Yeah. What planet were you on when Larry and Linnet were doing all those magic shows for the kids?�

�That�s who Linnet is! I still don�t understand why, though.�

�Neither does anyone else,� the team leader, Becky, said. �The powers that be think she might be useful, and she does have a reputation for both a level head and being cooperative. She likes being a ponygirl, and she�s used to switching back and forth all the time. Who knows, they might have a point. If we don�t need her in the first couple of weeks, we�ll probably add a tenth to our collection. Anyway, let�s go over the process one more time before we get our first �girl. Amanda, you tell it from memory.�

�Well, they get them to Orientation Room 4 the usual way, and then start processing them. We hit the button on Larry�s gadget after they punch holes in her ears, and she�s supposed to go into the same mindset as a trained ponygirl. Then there�s a bunch of chatter we�re supposed to use to check that she�s there while we finish up the process. I�m just as happy there�ll be a senior trainer supervising for that part of it.�

�You and me both,� Tami added to a number of nods.

�Anyway, they get brought over here and parked in their assigned cell, still covered with the blanket. At that point, they�re supposed to be asleep? I know I dozed off, but I don�t know that I had to.�

�Maybe, maybe not,� Tom said. �There�s no reason why they should be, but we know that you and, um, Connie slept through it.�

�OK. We take the blanket off. We introduce ourselves by name, using a �you�re a good girl� tone of voice. While she�s still in ponyspace we bring her off the stand, doing it one motion at a time, take three steps forward and drop onto her knee. We put the belt with the ring on her, and then unclip her wrists while we say �girl mode� and use the gadget to take her out of ponyspace.�

�What�s the timing?� Tom asked.

�We should say �girl mode� first and immediately unclip her hands. She should come out of pony space as she brings her arms forward. Effectively, unclipping her hands and bringing her arms forward should bring her out; the �girl mode� is more of a prompt.�

The trainers nodded thoughtfully.

�Then we wait about half a minute for her to do something. Our response depends on what she does. If she goes to take her bridle off, that�s ok and we show her how if she�s got difficulty. If she hasn�t done that by about the third time through, we tell her to do it. If she wants to talk, that�s ok. If it�s an information request, we either answer from the list of things she�s supposed to know or stall her. If she goes �that�s weird,� we commiserate. If she tries to resist, we hit her with the prod.

�When she runs down, we tell her that when we say �pony mode,� she�s to put her bridle and gag back on and then bring her arms behind her. When she does, we use the gadget to put her back into ponygirl space as she moves her arms, and then clip her wrists together. Then we put her back on the stand, making sure she does each movement and voice command.�

�Then?�

�Run through the cycle a half dozen or so times. When she�s in ponyspace, concentrate on drilling the stand behavior. After three times, switch the gadget to support mode. That�s supposed to let her do the switch if it�s conditioned in, and do it for her if it isn�t automatic yet.

�At some point in the process, we�re also supposed to take her around the cell and show her everything. If she doesn�t initiate it herself, we do it after about six cycles. Let her take her time and answer questions, within reason. Then put her back in pony mode and go through the cycle a couple more times.

�Then we feed her. I should explain, using simple terms, what I�m doing the first time so she doesn�t panic when I clamp the funnel to her face.�

---

�Oh, hi! You must be Amanda,� the young woman with the improbably large breasts said as Amanda walked into Orientation Room 4. �I�m Kelly, which is probably obvious.�

�Well, yes. They said if I couldn�t figure why you didn�t fall over, you must be Kelly.�

Kelly had an infectious laugh. �They are rather large, aren�t they? I don�t know why I�m fascinated by having the largest breasts around, but there it is. I�m told the geneticists hate me.�

�I don�t know why,� Amanda said. �It looks like they did a great job on the suspension.� She shrugged. �They could say the same for my tail.�

�Tails are standard equipment,� Kelly said. �Why you insist on wearing it when you don�t have to?� She shrugged expressively, as if it was just one of the world�s many mysteries.

�In any case, it looks like everything�s here.� She finished inspecting the three rows of implements neatly laid out on the table, and nodded to the three young women sitting on their heels in the back of the room. Each one had her hands cuffed behind her back, with the cuffs linked to shackles on her ankles so that she was unable to move. They also sported large, firmly fastened red ball gags. Otherwise, they were dressed as they had been when they had been teleported in from the pickup point.

�Let�s get started,� Kelly said. �Help me get the first one on her stand.� The two women walked back and unclipped the hogtie chain connecting the girl�s hands and ankles. Kelly clamped her upper arm in a firm grip and brought her to her feet, and then she pushed her to the first of the waiting display stands. �Help me get her over this,� Kelly said as she lifted the girl so her skirt cleared the top of the pole. �Come down on your knees,� she instructed, expertly dropping the wild ponygirl so that her shackled hands were on the back of the pole from her body.

Amanda reached down and unclipped the hobble, clipping the ankle rings to the waiting chains on the edge of the platform. She pushed the platform to the work area and then retired to the side, sitting on a table with her legs under her and tail curled around them.

Kelly unsnapped the buckle on the girl�s gag and retrieved a glass of water and a straw from the table. �Would you like some water?� she asked.

---

An hour later, Kelly had wheeled the blanket covered form of the second wild ponygirl out the door to where it would be picked up. �It�s all yours,� she told Amanda. �They kept me out of the way for the first couple. This I want to watch.�

Amanda walked over to the last girl. This was a brunette with a very well kept head of shoulder length hair framing a face that was strong rather than pretty. Her paperwork said she was about 5� 9� tall. She appeared to have the heavy bone structure that would make for a perfect saddle pony.

�The first thing I�m going to do is switch her bondage around,� Amanda said as she snapped a second set of cuffs on the girl�s wrists. She unhooked the hogtie chain and said: �Get up on your knees.� The startled girl rose to her knees and Amanda put a second set on her ankles. Then she removed the original shackles and handed them to Kelly. �Those are a set of Larry�s specials,� she said. �Much as I like the look, feel and sound of good, solid steel chain, there are times these are superior.�

She backed up a bit, flipped out her prod and stroked a switch. �Go over to the platform and put your back to the pole.� The girl looked rapidly right and left, and then focused on the prod in Amanda�s hand. She tried to flex her hands and feet and got a startled expression when she discovered that her feet seemed to be free. She got to her feet and walked onto the platform.

�Now bring your left leg up and squat down so you�re resting on your left knee, right knee pointed out and your hands behind the pole,� Amanda ordered. The girl managed the maneuver, falling the last couple of inches with a thump. Amanda clipped the shackle around her left ankle to the back of the platform. �Now bring your other leg back.� A moment later, that ankle too was going nowhere.

Amanda unbuckled the ball gag and got the last of the glasses of water that had been lined up on the table. �Would you like a drink?� she asked solicitously as she pulled the gag from the young woman�s mouth.

�Yes, please,� she said. Amanda brought it forward until her subject could drink through the straw, and waited patiently while she sipped almost all of it before stopping.

�Enough?�

�Yes, thank you.�

�Polite. I like that,� Amanda said as she put the almost empty glass back. �You know what this is, of course?� She twirled the prod again.

�Uh. Yes. That�s what she used to hurt them,� the girl said, looking at it with some trepidation.

�You could say that,� Amanda said judiciously. �But that�s not really the point. This setting is for livestock management.� She set it to level one and brushed one of the girl�s breasts. Her subject gave a yip of pain.

�Livestock management?�

�Ponygirls are livestock,� Amanda told her seriously. �You�ll find out shortly exactly how true that is, but for right now you can take it that a little nip from this wand is an amazingly effective management tool. It�s not a punishment; it�s more to get your attention and to reinforce behavior.�

Amanda pressed another button on the prod, producing a higher pitch. �This, on the other hand, is a punishment. In a way, I wish I didn�t have to demonstrate it because you�ve been really cooperative, but in the long run it�ll be better if you know now what real punishment is like.� She drew the rod down the girl�s arm and stepped back as the girl let out a howl of anguish. A moment later, Amanda knelt and held her until she stopped sobbing.

�I really wish I hadn�t had to do that, but a lot of girls simply don�t understand without getting physical. There�s a third setting that�s a takedown. It will leave you on the floor writhing in pain for what feels like the worst part of eternity. I�m not going to demonstrate that, and you should pray you never see it.� The girl nodded once.

Amanda turned around and picked up the power sheers from the table. �Ponies don�t wear human style clothes, after all. They wear leather tack. So we�ll just get rid of these rags.� She turned the sheers on and slid them down one arm of the girl�s blouse and then the other, sliding the base under her bra straps. Then she ran it slowly down the front of her blouse from the neckline right through her belt and down her skirt, cutting the cross strap of her bra and slicing the crotch out of her panties on the way. She shut off the sheers and pulled the sundered garments out from between the girl and the pole.

�See? Rags.� She held them up as the pinioned girl stared wide-eyed at the remains of her clothing. She tossed them at the disposal.

She took the punch from the table. �You remember hearing that you wouldn�t be allowed to talk for a few months, right?�

�Yes, why is that?�

�Horses don�t talk. They whinny and neigh. You�re going into a slightly different training program where you�ll be allowed to talk from the start, under very specific conditions. We�ll train you so you know when it�s permitted and when it isn�t.

�Continuing on with the livestock theme, I�m going to install your tags next. This is, unfortunately, going to hurt.� She positioned the punch over the girl�s right ear and pushed the handle. It made a dull thud, followed by the sound of a swiftly indrawn breath. �Good girl! Now for the other one.� Another dull thump and another indrawn breath later and she put the punch back on the table.

�These are your livestock tags,� she said, holding up two little pieces of dull metal. One was a circular piece with a hollow post; the other was a circular piece with a hole in the center. �The post goes through the hole I just punched from the back, and then we put the other piece on and crimp it.� A moment later, she had crimped both of the tags. �That, by the way, is the legal identification that the Consensual Slave Act requires for indentures. You don�t need a collar if we take you out in public. It�s got your IPC registry number on it. The hole lets us decorate your ears with bells, chimes and other little flourishes.�

She pressed a switch on her prod, and watched as the girl in front of her took a deep breath and seemed to relax. Her eyes lost the cautiously scared look, and cleared to look around in lively interest, but without the spark of understanding what she saw.

�Let�s do your breasts next,� she said, noticing that the girl�s eyes flickered toward the girl looming above her, rather than downward toward her own breasts. She slowly pierced the breasts just under the aureole and installed largish bronze rings. Then she buckled a bridle around the girl�s head, being careful to brush her hair so it fell out the back without being confined. Finally she brought a large, red ball in front of the girl�s face. Her subject set her jaw firmly closed. Amanda flipped her prod out and brushed the side of the girl�s mouth, and then popped the ball in and fastened the rod to the side of the bridle. The girl looked back at her with a hurt expression in her eyes.

�So human,� Amanda crooned as she brushed her hand over the girl�s cheek. After a moment, she seemed to forget and looked around again with interest but no understanding.

�Next, we do the measurements.� She spent another ten minutes checking measurements against the sheet, and then mounted the headrest. This time the �girl put her head back when Amanda pushed on her forehead. She slid the latches that fastened the bridle to the headrest, and then draped a blanket over her charge.

�All done,� she said, noting from the steady rise and fall of the blanket that the �girl seemed to have gone to sleep.

�OK,� Kelly said. �Explain.�

�It starts with some extra switches on my prod,� Amanda passed the wand to Kelly who inspected it with interest. �They�re hooked into the net, of course. The special cuffs I used came out of Larry�s project. They�re on the net as well, and when they get turned on, they use TK to lock into a fixed relationship with each other. It�s like a steel rod, except there isn�t a rod.�

�Cool. I like the way you made her put herself on the stand.�

�She�d already seen you process two girls.�

�So?� Kelly shrugged, causing her massive breasts to quake. �I�m sure a little prod demonstration first will get the point across. How do you do more than one girl at a time?�

�I don�t. Since the shackles are on the net, I�d switch between sets. This part is really only for the first few days until her tack is done. Once we�ve got the boots and the gloves, we go back to the standard ankle chains. I know it makes a nicely menacing sound bite, but I was serious about preferring chain for most things.�

�Makes sense. She shifted totally after you did her ears. How did that work?�

�Another of Larry�s gadgets, and the thing this entire process is based on. It turns part of her brain off so she�s in ponygirl space. We�re intending to use it in the beginning, and then use it to train her to go in and out on her own. We don�t want to give the gadget itself to the owners.�

�Ah! The entire thing becomes clear. Or at least less murky.�

---

An hour later, Amanda walked down the corridor that united the five long corridors of ponygirl cells of cell block 5. Cell block 5 was unique because the corridors were organized like the corridors of ponygirl cells in the main dome: there was one row of ten cells facing a blank stone wall. The other seven cell blocks had five pairs of face to face cells in each row. There were still ongoing discussions about which was the better arrangement. In this case, they had decided to hastily remodel the row into Stage 2 cells, with one side of each cell being a wall of cabinets for when the ponygirl was ready for girl mode.

Training team 51 was her team; the two digit numbers indicated the training block, cell block 5, row one. The novice ponygirl she had just processed should have been delivered to cell 513; the 4th cell in the row. She checked quickly in the break room across the cross corridor from the column of cells. At the moment it was empty, so she headed down the column. Cell zero was empty, as expected. That was reserved for Linnet, and they hadn�t found a need for her yet. Cell 1 was occupied by a naked redhead kneeling on her platform, sucking on her feeding funnel. As far as Amanda could tell, she was definitely in ponygirl space, and quite enjoying the sensation of warm mash as she sucked it out of the funnel into her throat and stomach. She was supposed to get her tack later today.

The other thing she noticed was that the �girl�s breasts were becoming firmer. It wasn�t at all obvious; the �girl was in her early 20s, and her breasts hadn�t started to sag in any noticeable way yet anyway. The giveaway was that her nipples seemed to be slightly higher as measured against her torso. It was one of the little things that the trainer outline she�d studied mentioned, and she�d been intrigued enough by it to practice noticing.

Cell 512 held a long haired blonde. She�d come in yesterday, and they�d had to put a posture collar on her to keep her hair out of the way. Her blonde tresses fell in a simple stream straight down, ending just about where her two hands were cuffed behind her. Amanda hoped they�d let her keep the long hair; when her tail came in the hair should be long enough to merge with the top of the tail, giving a striking effect.

Right now, Joe, Tami and Edie were working her at simple show steps. She was holding a pose with the left foot on the ground and the right foot held out, thigh horizontal and calf vertical. The collar forced her to hold her head tilted back so she couldn�t see down. Amanda wasn�t all that enthusiastic about it for training; her experience said that practicing in front of a mirror definitely helped get positions down properly. However, this was the procedure. Since there was no way the �girl could see the position of her leg, she had to go totally by the feel of whether it was right or not.

Joe held a folded up whip just above her thigh while Edie�s fingers probed her muscles making sure that the stance was not only efficient but well balanced. Tami held the reins behind the �girl, giving her enough slack that she didn�t have to overbalance to compensate, but not so much slack that she didn�t know she was under control. Amanda stopped to take a better look. As far as she could tell, the �girl was actually standing relaxed, using the minimum amount of effort to maintain her balance. Something about the set of her shoulders said that Edie had been at work there too; the cuffs on her wrists didn�t seem to be causing her any distress.

Edie was Larry�s lobo-ra half-sister, and stood just under three feet high, even though she was supposed to be 25, and the oldest of the four children. She wore a pretty dress that would not have looked out of place on a child of her size who was attending a party. Amanda had met Edie a number of times while Larry was training her; Edie sometimes came along on their morning rides, and a few of those times Amanda had been the one riding either Connie or Linnet. She�d been told the first time that she wasn�t to ask questions.

Edie�s size, of course, meant that she couldn�t ride her ponygirl the same way the big people did. If she tried, she wouldn�t be able to see around the head and torso. She used a shoulder saddle instead that allowed the ponygirl to stand erect and carry her much like a backpack. One of the lobo-ra had ridden her that way the two weeks she�d spent during spring break, and the memory of the lobo-ra�s face looming over her had made a striking impression, even filtered as it was by being in ponyspace.

That was positively mundane compared to the two times Edie had accompanied them while riding a wolf. One of the times Amanda had been riding Connie, and the other Larry had been riding her, but it hadn�t made much difference. She knew the difference between a wolf and a dog, and the fact that the diminutive woman had saddled the creature and had its head in a halter didn�t diminish the impact.

The lack of answers didn�t keep the questions from multiplying. Outside of work, Edie acted somewhat like an early teen. On other occasions, she showed an utterly alien side that simply didn�t relate to anything Amanda could understand. Her attitude toward the big people around her seemed to shift in patterns that almost made sense until suddenly they broke. The one thing that seemed to be plain was that Larry�s somewhat amused description of all outside females as wild ponygirls was a reflection of Edie�s attitude. Edie simply was not human, and she regarded humans as not being lobo-ra.

At work, however, Edie was an absolute marvel as a movement trainer. She seemed to almost have x-ray vision for how someone was moving, and was quicker than a viper at applying a correction. The times Edie had joined them when Amanda had been the pony had resulted in major improvements in how she moved, all as the result of a few minutes work. The two weeks she had spent full time as a ponygirl in the main dome had resulted in a quantum improvement in her ease of movement, and much of that had transferred over to how she moved as a young woman.

Amanda�s mouth quirked as she turned away. She�d heard more than one person refer to the lobo-ra as �the Kindergartners from Hell� in tones that ranged from fondness to exasperation. Well, she was basically an outsider, and she�d likely always be an outsider.

The next cell contained the blanket covered form she�d put in the corridor an hour earlier. The girl still seemed to be asleep. She checked the other cells; none of the other team members seemed to be around. She shrugged slightly. Doctrine was that the first sessions should always have at least two trainers, one standing out of easy reach of the �girl. Well, they could just rake her over the coals later for ignoring doctrine. She squeezed the release latch and slid the cell door open on its track, entered and slid it closed; making certain that it was latched solidly.

She looked calculatingly at the blanket covered form, and then walked to the back wall to the monitor set between the trotting booth and the door to the Chair. A moment later, she had the display she wanted. It showed the �girl was indeed dozing lightly, and more importantly, her higher brain functions were still suppressed. There were occasional flickers of attempts to activate them that swiftly died down when they didn�t accomplish anything.

She took the blanket off of the form, and threw it at the recycle bin. A moment later, the �girl�s breathing quickened and her eyes flickered open. �Hello, pony,� Amanda said cheerfully. �I�m Amanda, and you�re Maybeth. Let�s get you off the stand.� Her subject�s eyes flickered, obviously not understanding what Amanda said. A moment later, Amanda had unclipped the ankle chains and removed the headrest.

�Bring your right leg forward, dear,� she told the pony. It hesitantly tried to move the leg, and then brought it forward when it discovered that its ankle was no longer bound. �That�s a good girl,� she said as she stopped the movement when the right foot was even with her left knee.

�Up now,� she said, holding the girl lightly by the shoulders and pulling up. Maybeth pushed herself up using her right leg until she had her left leg under her. �Good Girl!� Amanda praised her. �Right foot step. Now left. Now right and stop.� Maybeth took three steps forward and stopped, looking puzzled. �That�s a good girl. Go to girl mode!� Amanda touched a switch on her prod, and the cuffs that bound the ponygirl�s wrists released. As she brought her arms forward in a reflex of released tension, Amanda touched another button. The reaction was almost comical. The �girl�s posture shifted and she looked around her in startled puzzlement. Then she started making noises behind the gag.

�Well,� Amanda said from behind her. �If you want to say something, take that silly gag out and take the bridle off.�

Maybeth swung around and then raised her hands hesitantly toward her head. �I said, take it off,� Amanda told the naked girl, a chuckle in her voice. �Do you need help?�

Maybeth nodded as she fumbled with the bridle.

�Before I show you how, I want to show you one other thing,� Amanda said. �I just know you�re going to be the most cooperative, gentlest ponygirl we�ve seen in years, but if I take chances, my supervisor is going to rip my head off. Go try to open the cell door. It�s not going to bite you.�

The girl walked hesitantly to the door and pushed. Then she pulled and tried to slide it. It didn�t budge.

�I always find it�s easiest to understand something if I try it,� Amanda said from behind her. �When you�re a good deal farther along in training, that cell door will open for you whenever you want. This is your home while you�re being trained, and it�s your door. Right now, though, it won�t open for you, and it won�t even open for me if you�re not restrained or under a trainer�s direct control. I know you�re confused and haven�t had a chance to think things out, so I�m probably just explaining the obvious.

�The other thing I need to mention so I don�t get reamed out is that our security computers have whatever they use for eyes on you. If you attack me, or if you so much as touch the prod, you�ll be down on the ground howling in pain before you can think about it. I�ve never seen it, but they did show me security scans during training. The worst danger I�ll ever be in is being accidentally hit by one of your flailing limbs as you go down. Understand?� The girl nodded, eyes wide.

�Once you�re far enough in training, they�ll change your security profile so you can leave the cell in girl mode whenever you want to, and go to several authorized areas. That�s for later, of course.

�Well, now that we�ve covered the basics, come over here and I�ll show you how the bridle works.� She hooked the prod back to her belt. �The rod hitches to a twist latch on each side of your mouth. Just grip it with thumb and forefinger and give it a good twirl, flat against your cheek.� Maybeth twisted it a couple of times, and then it sprang open. �Good girl! You got it. There�re two buckles on the bridle, one behind your head and one behind your neck.� A moment later, the �girl had the bridle off, and looked at the assemblage of straps in puzzlement.

�Put it on the edge of your stand for later,� Amanda said. �Now, this started because you wanted to say something.�

�I need to go! Where�s the bathroom!�

�The door to the left,� Amanda twirled the prod off her belt and pointed, making the motion so natural that the ponygirl didn�t realize that she now had it back in her hand, ready to use.

Maybeth walked in and looked around. The room had a slightly springy floor sloping toward a drain on the far side of the center. There were a number of cabinets on the right side where they were out of sight of the main room. There was also a block of buttons and switches next to a shower head and an enema nozzle, both on the ends of flexible pipes.

The novice ponygirl looked around in puzzlement. What the room didn�t have was any obvious toilet.

�Look at the switches on the right,� Amanda said. �Find the column that says: Floor Toilet. There�s a switch labeled �cleaner.� Set it to Auto, and then press the button that says Open.�

Maybeth studied the switches for a minute, and then shoved one of them to the left and pushed the button. A section of floor behind her dropped and then slid out of the way, revealing a keyhole shaped hole. She turned at the sound and looked at it, puzzled.

�Squat over it and relieve yourself.� The girl turned beet red in embarrassment.

Amanda laughed. �I suppose I�m going to have to repeat this until it sinks in. What part of livestock don�t you understand?�

�Huh?�

�Have you ever seen a cat or a dog be embarrassed about relieving itself? Or a horse or a cow or a goat or any other animal?�

�Uh, no.�

�Like I said, what part of �you are livestock� don�t you understand?�

She walked over and lowered herself gingerly. �It�s just ��

�Embarrassing. I know. We�re going to repeat this until you can walk in here, hit the proper buttons, relieve yourself and walk back out without thinking about it, no matter how many trainers are staring at you. The sooner you get over it, the fewer times you�ll have to go through being embarrassed by it.�

She took a deep breath and let loose. In the middle, her bowels decided to take the opportunity as well, and she turned red again. In a moment, it was over and she looked around for a roll of toilet paper.

�Missing something?� Amanda asked, amused. �Just stay there a moment.� She gasped as a stream of water emerged from the hole and traced down her slit toward her tail bone. Then a blast of hot air followed. �All done.�

The girl got to her feet and turned to leave.

�Forget something?� Amanda asked sweetly.

�Mother may I?� the girl said, sarcastically.

Amanda laughed. �I like that. It shows spirit. No, it�s something a bit more obvious. Look around and you�ll think of it.�

She looked around. �Oh!� Then she walked over to the switch panel, studied it for a minute, and pressed the Close button. The floor toilet closed itself, leaving a barely visible outline in the floor.

�Good Girl!� Amanda said. The girl scowled at her.

�What part of ��

�Livestock don�t I understand?� she finished sarcastically. �What�s it this time?�

�What would your puppy do if I said �Good Girl�?�

�It�d wag its tail and bounce all over me.�

�You don�t have a tail yet, and I can do without the paws and face licking.�

�You�re impossible,� the ponygirl said.

�I�m Amanda. You�re Maybeth.�

Maybeth looked at her strangely, and then giggled helplessly.

�Good girl!�

The pony tried to quiet down, and then broke into another fit of giggles. After a minute, it got its breath back. �You�re going to keep doing that until I glow when you praise me, right?�

�Good girl! You got it!�

She giggled again.

�For our next act�� Amanda said. �You�re going to go back into ponygirl mode.�

�Huh?�

�Hold the questions. When I tell you to go into ponygirl mode, you will take off any human style clothing you happen to be wearing and put on your ponygirl tack to the extent you can without help. Then you will shift yourself into pony space and wait.�

�Huh?�

�You�re not wearing any human style clothing right now,� Amanda said. �So what do you need to do to put your tack on?�

Her eyes strayed toward the bridle and ball gag sitting on the edge of the platform. �What do you mean?�

Amanda�s hand twitched, and her prod started humming at level two. The �girl practically dived toward the bridle and ball gag.

�See,� she said sweetly as May beth�s fingers fumbled with the buckles, �you did know what I meant.�

She waited while her trainee ponygirl got the buckles tightened and her ball gag installed. �Hands behind you.� The startled �girl put her hands behind her without thinking. Amanda�s fingers twitched on two of the switches on her prod, and the �girl�s face and posture shifted as the cuffs came together with an audible click.

---

The cell door rumbled open and shut. �Are you just getting started?� Becky asked.

�I�ve had her off and back on once,� Amanda answered her team leader. �Just taking a couple of minutes to recap where I�ve been before starting the second cycle.�

�What did you do to keep yourself safe?� she asked.

�Mostly, I stayed two paces away, kept my prod out and made sure her hobble was set just over what she needed to high step. I don�t think she noticed that she was hobbled. The one time I had to get close in, I had her check the door first and then filled her in on the big, bad security system.�

�So where are you?�

�She took her bridle and gag off and back on, and learned how to use the floor toilet. We had a bit of a discussion about what being livestock means, and she needed a bit of an inducement to put her bridle back on, but that was it.�

�Inducement?�

�I switched my prod onto level 2. That was probably the closest she came to finding out she was hobbled.�

Becky laughed. �I wish I�d have seen that! Oh, well, it�s on the security monitor. What are you planning for the second pass?�

�More of the same. Same thing for pony mode, roll with the questions for girl mode. I just want to work her until she goes back into pony mode without thinking about it when I tell her. This reminds me I should show her how she�s going to be fed shortly.�

�Good idea. We like to feed them every three or four hours, max.� She stepped up to the ponygirl who had been watching all of this, eyes shifting back and forth between the two trainers.

�Hi Maybeth. I�m Becky, your team leader.

�Not,� she said as she stepped back off the platform, �that she has a clue what a team leader is in this state.�

�That�s true,� Amanda said as she gently pushed the �girl�s head upright and then removed the headrest. She touched the button on her prod and said: �Up.� The �girl�s eyes narrowed a moment, and then she brought her right foot forward and pushed up, bringing her left foot up with the motion.

�Good girl! Forward three steps and stand.�

Maybeth stepped off of the stand onto the floor and paused. Amanda said: �Switch to girl mode, pet,� and touched one button, and then another on her prod. The cuffs on her wrists separated with a sharp click, and then her entire stance and expression shifted as she brought her arms around. She shook her head as if to clear it, and then brought her hands up toward her bridle and looked at Amanda. Amanda nodded at her, and she took the bridle and ball gag off, putting them very carefully on the corner of the stand.

�That was weird,� she said as she worked her jaw to relieve the tension.

�Isn�t it just,� Amanda said. �What was weird about it?�

�Well,� she said thoughtfully, �I was standing looking at the pole, and I heard you tell me to put my arms behind me. Then everything shifted around and now I find myself standing somewhere else.�

�Do you remember anything in the middle?� Amanda asked.

�In the middle?� The ponygirl�s brow furrowed. �I guess I do. Kind of like going up and down, and kneeling with my head lying back so I was looking at the ceiling. It doesn�t make any sense?�

�Good! That�s exactly what I had you doing in pony mode.�

�Oh!� Her eyes widened.

�I always found it kind of interesting to remember snatches of what Larry had me doing when he was using me as a ponygirl. There wasn�t anything I could do with it, but I�m curious about that kind of thing.�

�I guess I�d kind of like to know, too.�

�It varies by ponygirl. I know one that can remember everything that happened in detail, and another that doesn�t remember anything. She has to look at a calendar when she comes out, and it took her the longest time to get that she could lose whole weeks or more in those shifts.� She shrugged. �How you do it is how you do it. It really doesn�t matter, except that some things do carry over a little bit, like people.�

�This means I should really introduce myself. I�m Becky, your training team leader.�

�Pleased to meet you,� Maybeth said without thinking. Then she got a wicked smile. �Who do you file a complaint with around here?�

�You�ve got a complaint?� Becky said, a bit severely.

�Not really. I just wanted to see what would happen if I jerked on your chain a bit. However, now that you mention it, I�m hungry.�

�That�s next on the agenda,� Amanda told her as she walked over to the cabinets. �We feed you in ponygirl mode. I�m going to show you how it�s done now.� She took a funnel with a number of straps and a curved tail out of the cabinet, and a bottle of a white substance.

�This is called mash. It�s got everything a ponygirl needs in one package that gives a whole new meaning to the word bland. The only attitude I�ve ever been able to develop toward it is that I like the feeling of it going down into my stomach. We use this funnel to feed it. The tail goes through a hole in the gag.�

Maybeth took it and looked at it, turning it over. Then she walked over and picked up the bridle and slid the tail in the hole and tilted it back and forth. �So I�m just going to be kneeling there, with my back to the pole and my head tilted back when you use this to feed me my mash?�

�Exactly.�

�Well, I suppose it�s a lot neater than having to plunge my head in a bowl of something. I am getting hungry,� she continued.

�OK. Go put it down and get into pony mode.�

Maybeth snorted, but she took the funnel out of the gag and wrapped the bridle and ball gag around her head. Then she brought her hands back without being told, almost beating Amanda to the switch that locked her wrists together. Her face and body shifted.

�I wasn�t planning on it that quickly!� Amanda said.

�Did you put her into pony mode, or did she go herself?�

�I think she went herself.�

Becky went over and looked at the monitor. �She sure did. I guess she really does want to be fed! Let�s get her up on the stand and feed her.�

A few minutes later they had the pony on her stand, head tilted and funnel mounted strapped to the bridle. Amanda pushed the thumb pump to squirt some mash into the pony�s mouth. A moment later, she swallowed and then sucked at it. More mash squirted into her mouth. They nodded as she got the rhythm of sucking in a squirt of mash, letting it settle a moment and then swallowing it. Then the two of them walked out of the cell, leaving the pony behind, blissfully sucking down its meal.

�You were a little clumsy installing the funnel,� Becky observed.

�Well,� Amanda said thoughtfully, �it�s not one of the things I had a lot of practice in. In fact, I didn�t get to practice it at all.�

Becky quirked an eyebrow for her newest team member to continue.

�Part of it was that we very seldom actually got fed as ponies. Until the two weeks at the Spring National, the longest I�d been in ponyspace was maybe 5 hours in a row, and the same was true for Connie. Not counting sleep time, of course. So while we practiced on each other, that was something that we didn�t do very much.

�The other part is that when we did, we used one of Larry�s gadgets instead of the funnel. It�s a double bottle, one of mash and one of water, with three feeding tubes ending in either injectors or nipples and a retaining ring like a baby�s pacifier. When it came feeding time, we�d just plug in one of the feeding tubes and set the amount of mash and water. Larry had one of his widgets that kept the mash from spoiling.�

She smiled wickedly. �It was awfully convenient on our morning rides. We could just hang it from a tree, peg the ponies under it, take out their bits and insert the nipples. Since Will o� the Wisp seemed to accept it, I didn�t think anything of it. It was just the way we did it.�

�Now that�s an amusing variation,� Becky observed. �In a way, it would be more convenient, but I don�t know about having something hanging from the ceiling all the time. I�ve heard there a couple of owners that are experimenting with a stabling arrangement of some kind. Their ponies are a lot closer together.

�Well, if practice is all you need, practice is what we�ve got a lot of. What are you thinking of next?�

�Since she went in by herself, I want to speed up the pony training, and take her on the cell walkabout the next time she�s out. Unless, of course, she�s got too many questions for the time. I�m going to see how far I can get with the foot tapping, whinny and ten second rule.�

�We need to work some exercise in there somewhere. Do enough rein training so we can put her in the trotting booth tomorrow. I�m going to get them sandals until their tack arrives.�

�Good idea,� Amanda said. �We didn�t hit the trotting booth until fairly late when Larry wanted to condition us for riding. But then, we were doing our daily activity all the way through.�

�That�s the penalty for non-standard training.� Becky grinned to take any sting out of the words. �I like trading stories with you; it gives me more perspective on some of the things we do. Anyway, do the rein training first, I�m going to have Raindance do the whinny, foot tapping and ten second rule.�

�I�ve never done them, of course, but why?�

�We have, and it didn�t work real well on these; I had to have Raindance finish the job with the last two. I think the difference is that in our usual training sequence they aren�t in pony space when we train them.�

�Ah! I didn�t think of that. I didn�t get a chance to see Larry and Raindance training Connie, and of course I don�t really remember what they did to train me. I wonder if it�ll transfer if I do it while she�s in girl mode?�

�That�s a thought. Try it out. If it doesn�t transfer, I�ll have Raindance do it. It�ll be good to know if it does, we can�t depend on the senior trainers for everything!�

�OK. Then I�ll do some rein training before I bring her out, and do the rest after. That�ll be a long session.�

�And probably enough for you for today. The second shift can take over once you�re done.�

 

Chapter 23. Amanda starts improvising.

Amanda looked at her �girl kneeling on the stand. Even without tack, she did look cute. One of the other trainers had come by and taken the feeding funnel out while she�d been talking to Becky, so Maybeth was simply kneeling, head back and eyes tracking whatever activity happened to be going on. Which at this point was her trainer opening the cell door and walking in.

�You do look cute,� Amanda told her fondly. �It�ll be even better when you can greet me with a whinny.� The ponygirl whinnied at her. �Good Girl!� Amanda said, almost by reflex. �That could be better,� she said in an encouraging tone, and whinnied to show the ponygirl how it should sound. Maybeth whinnied back at her, managing to copy the sound. �A bit more vibrato,� the trainer said, touching her throat and emphasizing the staccato quality of the sound.

�Maybe I can go for it?� she thought to herself. �My psych class wasn�t all that clear on operant conditioning, but if what Dreammaker said works�� She touched the �girl on the shoulder the next time she whinnied, and then repeated the touch the next two times they went back and forth. Then she touched her again without whinnying first, and the �girl whinnied! �Good Girl!� Amanda said as the pony�s eyes widened in surprise at what she�d done. The pony whinnied at her in response, mouth quirking around the gag. �Now,� she thought, �let�s really go for it.�

�You liked that, didn�t you?� she asked and touched the pony�s shoulder, getting a whinny. She kept up a bit of a light banter, watching for signs of either comprehension or confusion at what she was saying, and touching the pony�s shoulder each time she got comprehension. Maybeth whinnied at her each time, gradually relaxing as she came to accept the action. Then Amanda didn�t touch her once when she understood, and the pony whinnied anyway. �Good Girl!� she praised her. Maybeth�s eye�s widened in surprise at the praise; she hadn�t even noticed that she�d done anything!

Amanda bent over and kissed the �girl lightly on the forehead, and stepped back. �Let�s do some rein work next. Would you like that?� Maybeth whinnied at her.

She walked over to the cabinets and opened a drawer, taking out a bit. Then she frowned slightly in thought. Since the whinnying had worked, just maybe? She walked over to the monitor and set up a program keyed to one of the spare buttons on her prod, and then took a set of reins off the other wall.

�This is your bit,� she held the bit up in front of the ponygirl�s face, far enough away so it didn�t startle her. The �girl whinnied as her eyes scanned across it, taking in the curved metal piece with the two long tails that ended in circles where the reins would attach. Then she set it down on the �girl�s shoulder, eliciting a surprised snort, and swiftly detached the ball gag. Before the �girl could close her mouth, she inserted the bit, and attached the two ends to the bridle.

She stroked the back of the �girl�s head, causing her to lift it so she could remove the headrest. Then she touched the switch on her prod that released the ankle restraints, and said �Up!�

Maybeth brought her right foot forward, planted it firmly and rose smoothly as Amanda walked behind her to put a slight amount of tension on the reins. The �girl tried to walk forward and stopped suddenly as she felt the bit in her mouth.

�Good Girl!� Amanda praised her. �Forward!� She walked forward, letting the �girl set the pace but keeping a steady pressure on the reins so that she got a feeling for the bit. Then she pulled lightly on the right rein, and was rewarded by the �girl turning right to relieve the pressure. She spent a few minutes in a more or less random navigation of the room, pulling the �girl first one way, then the other. Eventually, she said: �Stop!� and pulled harder on the reins. Maybeth stopped.

Amanda walked up to her. �Knee!� The �girl paused a moment, and then dropped to her left knee, right knee out and right foot next to the left knee, the same way she had done at the pole.

�Good Girl!� Amanda told her. She whinnied back. �Up!� They went around the cell a few more times, and then Amanda stopped her and told her: �knee�. The next time through the cycle, instead of telling her to come to her knee, Amanda touched the button her prod, and the monitor put the �girl�s heartbeat on the speaker. Amanda counted: �One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six!, Seven! Eight! Nine! Knee!� and touched the button again, shutting off the heartbeat. Maybeth dropped to her knee again, giving a startled whinny. �Good Girl!� Amanda praised her. �Up!� She did it several more times, reducing the volume of the heartbeat each time. The fifth time, she didn�t count, but her pony dropped to her knee anyway at the end of ten heartbeats. Finally, she left the speaker off altogether; Maybeth dropped to her knee without a visible cue.

�That�s a real good girl,� Amanda told her seriously. �Girl mode.� She pressed the switch that released the cuffs and watched to see what would happen as the ponygirl brought her arms forward. Her body shifted posture slightly. Good. Then she brought her hands up and tried to take the gag out, fumbling at the unfamiliar fastenings. She stood up and took the entire bridle off, and turned it over, examining the bit.

�You changed things,� she said, mock accusingly, and then giggled.

�Of course. What do you remember of the last session?�

�You must have fed me.�

�Do you remember that, or are you just deducing it?�

�Uh. I don�t remember that. I think I remember walking around, and something about a heartbeat? And going up and down and whinnying?�

�That�s right. You were mostly working on responding to the reins, but you also learned to whinny, and the ten second rule.�

�The ten second rule?�

�If you�re left standing anywhere without specific orders, you�re to drop to your knee after ten seconds. We actually do ten heartbeats, so that�s the heartbeat you remember hearing.�

�Oh.� She paused for a while. �What am I supposed to be doing?�

�Asking questions, Maybeth.�

�Asking questions?�

Amanda laughed at her puzzlement. �The overall training objective is for you to be able to shift back and forth between your normal processing and ponyspace on command. The only reason for you to be in girl mode at this point in your training is to verify that procedure. There are a number of things you should know, and some things you might like to know, but we�re not going to work on girl mode seriously until your tail is grown. So after we�re confident you can slide in and out when we tell you to, the next time you�re in girl mode will be a couple of months from now. In other words, ask away.�

�Ponyspace? Is that what you call it?�

�Yes. There�s a couple of things you really need to know about it. There�s nothing that says you absolutely have to be in ponyspace when you�re in ponygirl mode, but it works much better when you are. You�re less likely to make silly mistakes by letting your head get in the way, and it�s impossible to be bored. Some girls slide in and out when there�s something going on that they want to watch, and some stay in ponyspace full time. You�ll learn what works for you, but I�m absolutely serious about it being better to be in ponyspace while you�re doing things.�

�Um�� Maybeth said. �Why are you calling me Maybeth? My name is...�

Amanda flipped up the prod and set it to buzzing. The pony shut her mouth with a snap.

�I don�t care what your name used to be. You no longer have a name. After you�re sold and delivered to your new owner, he�ll name you. �Maybeth� isn�t a name; it�s a pronounceable form of your IPC registration number.�

�It�s a what?�

�A pronounceable form of your International Ponygirl Consortium number. The way it works is that each of the ten digits has a consonant. The consonants for the last three digits of your registration number are M, B and TH. Season with vowels to taste.�

She giggled. �You people. Now, what should I be concerned with? If you�re going to answer questions, tell me about this place?�

�I presume you mean your home for the next six months. The larger place is restricted information.�

�So, what�s in the drawers?�

�Supplies on the left, your girl mode stuff on the right. Look all you want, but don�t even think of putting anything on until I tell you to.�

She giggled and opened a tall door and took several garments out at random. �Black leather skirts and white blouses. The style could be more daring, but still. Now what�s this?� She held another piece of leather on a skirt hanger, but this time it was a garish combination of colored blocks.

�Stable colors,� Amanda said. �Aren�t they awful?�

�Awful doesn�t do it justice. I take it this is to clean the stable?�

�Unfortunately not. It�s to wear if you take a day off and hang around this place.�

�It must be a subtle piece of psychology to convince me I don�t want to do that,� Maybeth said.

Amanda giggled. �The girl mode dress code is up to the �girl�s owner, except at meets. If you hang around here, you use the meeting code. Your skirt has your stable colors, and your blouse has your owner�s colors and your device, if any. The brown belt says you�re a ponygirl. Ponygirls live in stables. Those are racing colors that identify your stable to the racing fans. Specifically, they�re for this training facility.�

�They couldn�t possibly have picked a worse combination.�

�Wanna bet?�

�I don�t think I want to know. What could be worse?�

�Fran Donaldson�s. Her colors are three shades of red blocks. By itself it isn�t that bad, but it�s a well known optical illusion. The blocks keep changing back and forth. Golden Spitfire�s design is a fire breathing dragon. That dragon on those blocks is so bad they let her wear it on a plain white blouse.�

�I�ll bet. What�s a design?�

�It�s a pattern that the stewards award a ponygirl that�s won at least one race at a National. It�s got one interesting benefit for the �girl, too. If you�ve got a device, you can go girl mode for as much of the meet as you can fit around your schedule. If not,� Amanda shrugged, �you get to see the meet from your assigned cell or display stand.

�Look at the good side. The only reason you don�t have an even worse looking blouse is that you don�t have an owner � yet.�

�I think,� she said, shutting the door firmly, �that I�ll skip the rest of the drawers until I need them. Now, what�s this piece of machinery?�

�That�s the trotting booth. It�s an automated exercise machine for ponygirls that can simulate just about anything involving running you�ll ever be called on to do. It�s got shafts for carts and sulkies, handles to pull your reins, speakers to give you orders, a whip and a very complete set of sensors, indicators and timers. You�ll start on this later today, as soon as they deliver some sandals. It�s real easy to develop an attitude toward it � I�ve seen workout programs for championship racers that would have me melted down in a puddle of steaming protoplasm within ten minutes.�

�I have a feeling that the last thing I want to do is develop a bad attitude toward it,� Maybeth said. �Now, what�s this?�

�That�s the control unit for the trotting booth, and for the rest of the monitors in the cell, for that matter. You don�t need to know how to operate it unless you decide to become a trainer after your indenture expires.

�Next to it is the Chair. As in: �Oh, God. Not the Chair�. It�s the major punishment, and you can be thankful that this is an experimental program that doesn�t involve it, or right now you�d be strapped into that thing looking forward to 80 hours of sensory deprivation, sleep deprivation and muscle cramps, as an introduction to the notion that instant obedience isn�t the only policy, disobedience isn�t even in the dictionary.

�Moving right along��

�Reminds me that I need to take a leak.� Maybeth straightened her spine and walked into the grooming room as if she was headed to her execution. She hit the open toilet button and squatted over the keyhole in the floor. �See. Perfect aplomb.�

�Let�s see,� Amanda muttered, miming a clipboard. �Lying. Needs to improve.�

The ponygirl giggled at the byplay and relaxed enough to let go. A couple of minutes later, she pressed the close button and started looking around. She opened and closed cabinets and then turned in puzzlement. �I see the shower head and a bunch of cabinets, but it seems incomplete.�

�You haven�t pressed enough buttons.� Amanda pressed the �raise shackles� button, and four posts rose out of the floor, each with an open shackle on the inside. �Hands and feet by the shackles.� It wasn�t a suggestion. The ponygirl dropped to her hands and feet and adjusted her stance. Amanda pressed the �close shackles� button, and they snapped around the �girl�s wrists and ankles, locking her into place. The next button brought the four platforms up until the �girl�s spine was level with Amanda�s waist.

�This is how you�re groomed. You�ll probably be groomed several times a day; once in the morning and also after strenuous workouts. The morning routine includes a few other things, so it�s time to introduce you to some other equipment. The first thing,� she continued, �is that we clean you out.� She unclipped the enema nozzle from the wall and pressed the button, discharging the air that had accumulated in the tube. Then she slid the nozzle into Maybeth�s ass, eliciting a grunt. She tied the lanyard around the girl�s waist, preventing it from sliding out, and then pressed a button on the wall. Maybeth grunted again as she felt the warm water flood her intestine.

�I know this is an acquired taste,� she said as she watched the �girl�s trim waist distend with the two quarts of the fluid. �We do this every morning. You�ll hold it for two minutes, and then let it all out when I pull the plug.� Two minutes later, Amanda unclipped the lanyard and removed the nozzle. She was rewarded as a stream of brown water jetted out and fell neatly into the open floor toilet.

�The next part of this,� she said as she took an object from one of the cabinets and stripped off the plastic wrapper, �you�ll probably like even less. It�s standard equipment, so you�ll adapt.� She walked around behind the ponygirl and squeezed some lube onto her finger from a tube. �This is a butt plug, and it goes in here,� she said as she applied the lube to Maybeth�s asshole, and then slid the butt plug into it. She took an Allen wrench and twisted the fastening, causing the inside flange to expand. When she was done, the plug was solidly seated, and could not be shoved out.

�This is a permanent fixture. It goes in during the morning routine, and stays in until you�re put down for the night. Unless, of course, someone wants to use you for anal sex. There�s one other thing it does besides prevent regrettable accidents.� She pressed a switch on her prod. The girl gasped, eyes wide.

�Didn�t like that, did you?� Amanda asked rhetorically. �That�s the other little livestock control we�ve got. We use it when you�re harnessed to a cart or sulky when we can�t reach you with a prod. Some of the owners use an older version that�s got an antenna that fits between your ass cheeks.

�Here�s how grooming works,� she said as she unbuckled her captive�s waistband, and put on a plastic cape. �First, we wet the ponygirl down, and then lather her up.� She spent a few minutes covering the ponygirl in a thick layer of soap suds, paying particular attention to feeling her up. Then she took the shower head and rinsed her off, again making certain that her breasts and sex got a good going over with the spray.

�Feeling sexy?,� she asked the obviously aroused �girl. She adjusted the height so that the �girl�s head was level with her crotch, walked out and came back with a black object which she put on top of a cabinet. Then she took off her skirt. �Warm me up, girl.�

Maybeth looked at the girl parts just brushing her nose and flicked out her tongue to begin teasing them. In a few minutes, she had worked her way into the folds, probing the beginning of the long tunnel.

�Good,� Amanda panted as she withdrew. �Now for the next act�� She took the object off the cabinet and plunged one end of the double ended dildo into her waiting pussy, drew the straps tight and walked to the other end of her subject. A moment later, she�d plunged the front end of the dildo into its eagerly waiting destination. Maybeth whinnied as the sensation of being penetrated swept through her. As Amanda plunged in and out, the circuitry inside the double ended strap-on came alive and began adding its own vibrations to the movement, attempting to time both girls� arousal. Three minutes later, they both came nosily.

�Whooee!� Amanda said as she leaned against the wall, waiting for the universe to settle down. �Either you�re one hot babe, or they rigged this little ole sex toy.� She took a deep breath and looked at her charge. �I think I need to wash you down again.

---

�The last item,� she said after she�d finished drying the pinioned ponygirl, �is this.� She took another object out of the cabinet and tossed the wrapper into the waste bin. �It�s a dildo, and it�s a permanent fixture during the day. The red ball on the end tends to focus attention on the really important part of your anatomy. At least,� she grinned as she covered it with a bit of lube and slid it into the ponygirl, �the guys think so�. Then she tightened it with her Allen wrench, causing the flange to spread out and seat firmly.

A few minutes later, she�d finished brushing out the ponygirl�s hair. She let her out of the bondage. �Did that answer your question?�

�All except for one little detail,� Maybeth said, a gleam in her eye.

�What?�

�Are you going to put your skirt back on?�

---

�This thing is where I sleep, right?� she asked about a soft pad on the floor. �It looks a bit short, though.�

�It�s short because you sleep in fairly stringent bondage,� Amanda told her. �We use the single glove and single boot to put you into a hogtie. Then it gets anchored to those ringbolts.� She pointed to two sheets of leather and straps hanging on the wall.

�That seems kind of excessive,� the ponygirl said.

�It does at that.� Amanda shrugged. �I know why we used to do it, but I don�t know why we still do it this way. Possibly it�s because many of the owners don�t have as sophisticated a security system as we do. You�ll get used to it.�

�Humph. Now what�s this thing?� she asked. The thing was a metal frame about three feet long, three feet high and two wide with a variety of rings and buckles.

�It�s the bucking rack,� Amanda grinned. �It�s to tie the pony down for sex. It�s called that because ponygirls can really let loose when they have orgasms, and if she�s sucking a cock at the same time as she�s being fucked, it can get messy if she�s not tied down securely.�

�What keeps her from biting?�

�A ring gag. That�s one of the reasons for the ball gag; we keep increasing the size until your mouth can take a 2.6 inch ring. I didn�t use one in there because there isn�t much point when you�re licking and sucking. It�s simply for safety; our girls don�t bite, but they might lose control during an orgasm.�

Maybeth giggled. �Tell me another one.�

�You mean marketing might not be telling the whole truth?� Amanda said in a voice of obviously fake incredulity.

�What�s next?�

�You go back into pony mode,� Amanda said.

Maybeth looked at her, and then picked up the bridle and bit. �I use the bit or a ball gag?� she asked.

�A ball gag. They�re over here.� She showed the �girl the drawer. Maybeth removed the bit and put the bridle on, then she crammed the ball in her mouth and fastened it. She brought her arms back as her posture and expression changed. The two cuffs linked together with a soft but definite click.

�Onto the stand,� Amanda commanded. The pony walked to the stand and turned with its back to the pole. A moment later, Amanda had her secured. This time, she added the attachment that secured the pony�s butt plug to the pole, and adjusted it until she had the �girl�s hips tilted out the way she wanted. She mounted the funnel and poured in eight ounces of mash.

---

�How much have you done?� Raindance asked.

�I think I�ve got everything except the foot taping and the trotting booth we mapped out for the first day,� Amanda told her. �Becky has sandals on order for the trotting booth, and I�m going to see if I can do the foot tapping next. She came in and out by herself the last couple of times, and I�ve got both the ten second rule and the whinnying installed. I�m actually pretty much out of things she should know for girl mode, though.�

�They were all having trouble with the whinnying and the ten second rule. How did you manage it?�

�By accident,� Amanda said. �I knew they were having trouble, and intended to do them in girl mode and hope they transferred. Then I mentioned that I thought she was cute, and I�d like her even better when she could whinny at me, and darned if she didn�t whinny! So I worked her a bit on improving the whinny, and then it occurred to me to put some comments in my psych class together with some comments Dreammaker made while she was working Connie, and I tried anchoring by touching her shoulder. Is that the right word? Anyway, it worked so I just ran with it and anchored it into when she understood something I said. Then I thought some about the ten second rule, so I put her heartbeat on speakers, with the controls on my prod.�

�Now that�s innovative!� Raindance said. �What else did you do?�

�I just left her standing, turned on the heartbeat sound and counted from one to ten, saying �knee� instead of ten. She went right down. So I just kept interspersing it with the rein work, reducing the volume on the heartbeat and sometimes not counting, and giving her a �good girl� whenever she did it right. It took a while because I was doing the initial rein work at the same time, but the last few times she went down on the tenth heartbeat without either the speakers or the count.�

Raindance shook her head. �Sometimes you can be too subtle! Alice trained all of us, and she likes to be mysterious about how she gets her results. She�s had so much practice that she just sets up non-verbal communication channels outside of everyone�s awareness without thinking. She did one a couple of years ago where she just opened someone up like she�d used a can opener. It was in front of the entire board, and the only people that caught that she�d actually done something were Katie, Pretty Lemon and me. Everyone else thought that the woman in question just broke down and confessed before Alice started in on her.�

�I know what you mean. She came out to deal with Connie, and I have no idea what she did. Whatever it was, it was effective; Connie started improving right away.�

�So the fact that you were rather blatant about it is all to the good. We don�t have to teach anything subtle. That shoulder anchor works, why do more? It�s not like we�re trying to turn ordinary trainers into senior trainers overnight. What�s your plan for the foot tapping?�

�It seems like I need to do two setups. I need to get her to tap two and three times, and set a different anchor for each of them.� Raindance nodded.

�I also need to calibrate � is that the right word � for agreement and disagreement. I think I should do that first.�

�That�s the right word, and you should do it first. There�s no point in doing the foot tapping setup if you can�t tell if she�s agreeing or disagreeing. Once you�ve got both of them, you fire the correct anchor for each one.�

�Exactly. I think the hard part will be the patter, but I�ve always been able to babble on about nothing in particular.�

�It�s a useful trick. It�s even more useful if you can structure your babbling. That�s part of the senior trainer course, but since you�re an outsider I can point you to resources you can study on your own. In fact, Owners Daughter, if you�re interested I can point you at a lot of resources that you can use to bring your father�s stable up to snuff. You�ll need to study with the lobo-ra to get the final polish, but doing the right thing competently gets you a lot.�

Amanda giggled. �You do have a way of putting it, don�t you? I�ll think I�ll take you up on that.�

�So let�s go look at her. You install the foot tapping, and then I�ll check the work. See how much of what I do you can spot. I�ll go slow and do it the obvious way instead of being fancy. Then think about the trotting booth. The sandals have arrived, but I don�t think Becky expected us to get there the first day, and that�s going to have some of the same problems doing the initial setup.�

�Let�s go get the sandals then. I�d prefer her to be wearing something when she�s doing foot tapping.�

---

Amanda frowned at the trotting booth controls in thought, and then entered a routine from her notes. She started when Becky asked: �What�s wrong with the initial sequence?� from behind her; she had been so deep in thought that she hadn�t heard her team leader enter the cell.

�I want to replace the seat with either kneeling or sitting,� she replied. �I don�t see a good reason for that particular piece of equipment. We don�t use it past the first couple of weeks anyway, besides which ponygirls don�t sit on chairs. They either kneel or sit on their heels, so it�s training in something that won�t be useful.�

�Using the seat is the procedure.�

�Well, yes, but there have been a lot of changes. That part of the procedure goes back to before the automated trotting booths! It definitely goes back before they had good physiological monitors, and before the metabolism and stamina enhancements.�

�Interesting point. You think it�s time for a change?�

�Maybe. This is a pilot project after all, and Larry always emphasized that changes in one element always cascade into changes elsewhere.�

�Ain�t that the truth! Let�s look at the program you put in.� Becky�s fingers flicked over the control panel as screens flashed by. �I see. You stuck to the minimum you needed to change. That�s going to help. What�s the rest of this, though?�

�Bits and pieces that I might need for the initial training sequence. I think I�ve got everything, but you know what they say about plans.�

�Yeah. That�s the way it didn�t happen.�

Raindance and Edie walked in, looking like mother and daughter, at least if the daughter had a real unusual father.

�Looks like you�re ready,� Raindance said. �Take her into the booth.�

---

Half an hour later, they stood back as Maybeth walked in the booth. They�d fastened the belt to shafts on the sides of the booth so that she couldn�t move either forward or backward, and attached her reins to two levers on the back which kept exactly the right amount of slack. They�d also put a posture collar around her neck so that she kept it tilted back.

The ponygirl brought each leg up in a show step, ending with the thigh precisely horizontal and the calf vertical. The floor of the booth moved under her, keeping time to the pace. The front of the booth had two indicators, one for each leg. The green indicator rose and fell, showing what she was supposed to do. If she deviated, a red indicator showed what she actually did. If she didn�t correct the deviation fast enough, she got a nip from a prod that lay lightly against her ass cheeks.

Every once in a while, a red light flashed, and she whinnied in response.

---

�Awesome,� Becky said. �I think we�re going to have to go over those tapes in detail.�

�I agree,� Joe said. �I saw what she did, and at least she went slowly enough that I caught most of it. I think.�

 

Section End.

Amanda is doing quite well on her first real training assignment. Sometimes an outside view helps a bit. In any case, fun�s over and it�s time to return to school for the next term. Trot on to the next exciting episode of Engineer to find out what�s happening.

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