Deep in the overgrown pasture, the feral pony lived a quiet life. He was small enough to live unnoticed by the humans, and nearly unnoticed by the other horses. He learned stealth. He was able to sneak up to the horse’s hay, and munch away for several minutes before the horses would take notice. Even then, he learned he could ignore the pinned ear warning, and wait until they actually lunged. He was agile enough to whirl away, escaping their teeth.
He would sneak into the barn whenever it was left open. He would move through the tack room, right into the stalls. He knew there was food to be scavenged. When the mobile treat dispensers appeared, he would allow his presence be known, and search their pockets for food. His muzzle was small enough to squish wherever it was needed. He would tolerate the scratches and hugging knowing there was a food reward at the end.
It was a good life, napping in the sun, stealing bits of food, rolling in the fresh hay, and flirting with the mares next door. He liked to think of himself as untamed as the wild horses that roamed the west, a story he had heard as a foal. He climbed rocky mountains, fought off mountain lions, and had his loyal band of mares, even if they just mostly ignored him.
But one day, as the food dispenser was feeding him, the door shut behind him. He was trapped, and although he wanted to prove he could take down a predator (he’d been practicing in his dreams), he froze up in the moment. He was forced to put a piece of metal in his mouth, and had lines attached to him. The food dispensers had tricked him.
They said he was a grown pony of four years old. They said his days of idleness were over. What had he done to deserve this? He was happy with his life the way it was!
They brought him to the rolling/pooping area and forced him to do things. He tried to get the male to help him. He had never asked anything of him before. But his pleading looks were ignored. The Pony resolved to never trust the male again, unless he had a lot of treats to make up for this betrayal.
They wouldn’t even let him stop to poop. He’d been holding it politely, but when a pony’s got to go, he’s got to go. And as he paused to go, he got a rap on the rump with the whip. They didn’t even have the courtesy to let him finish!
He overheard the female telling the male that she was using two devil lines on him because she couldn’t ride him. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he was glad that this further torture could not be inflicted on him.
He tried his best to understand what the female wanted. It seemed highly repetitive, and he assumed she must have some kind of brain malfunction to think it was interesting to continually go around in a circle. But he obliged her weird requests. as sometimes this must be done for the lesser species.
She finally allowed him to stop. It was such a relief. He knew it must be time to go back to his herd.
But then a curious thing happened. He was led next to a plastic block, and the male took over the now single line. The female climbed on the block, and started doing leg lifts next to him. It seemed like an odd time to get her exercise in, although there was no doubt she needed to tone up.
He patiently stood there, as she continued her weird ritual all around him. Sometimes she laid across him, other times she stroked him. She switched sides at one point. And then, she settled right on top of him.
He was being crushed, he was sure of it. He would never survive. But she got back off. He was safe… but only momentarily, as she got back on. What was this madness?!
After a few times, it seemed okay. But then she climbed on, and the male asked him to move. How could he move under this staggering weight?! He took a tentative step forward. And then another. He was still alive.
Then she finally got off him, and praised him for being such a good pony, but the deed was done. The Pony could never, ever, ever trust these things again. As soon as he was released, he hurried away from them as fast as his pony legs could carry him. He hid in the trees, and cried his pony tears.
What did he do to deserve this?!