If you've read my gender page, then it will likely come as no surprise that I have not one but two pony personas - one who is decidedly more masculine and another who is girly to the max. I will, of course, be making posts as they both develop and I acquire more tack and such, but I wanted keep a permanent page as well, with a bit of background info, plans for the future, etc. So here we are. Now, let me introduce you to...
It was just a few years ago that I started looking at pony play as something I wanted to do rather than just something interesting that other people did. At the time, I was still living my family, many, many miles from my dear Mistress. So all I could really do was read and research, think and plan. It was then that my first pony persona began to take form.
At first, my ideas were vague and nebulous. I knew I would likely be a show pony, though the idea of pulling a cart appealed to me too. I had no specific breed in mind to emulate, but I did have some ideas about tack and clothing. I definitely wanted a leather bit and bridle, a catsuit of some sort, wrist and ankle cuffs, a collar and maybe a harness. And a pair of those amazing hoof boots. That being said, I wasn't even sure about colors at the time, though when I closed my eyes and imagined, I always saw myself in shiny, black latex.
It wasn't until I moved in with Mistress K. and we started playing that my inner pony really came into the light. Whereas before I had always felt uncertain about the subject, a bit lost, with Mistress K. at my side to guide me, I suddenly felt more secure. My ideas became more distinct and solid, and I began to refine the very rough image I had.
A major milestone was when Mistress K. gave my ponyself a name: Schatten, which is German for "shadow." It may not seem all that important, but having a name helped to give me a clearer picture as well. Now, with that distinct image in mind, we've begun shopping for tack. It's somewhat slow going, as we have to buy what we can when we can afford it, but we're making progress. And the process itself is quite enjoyable.
What We've Got
This bit and reins from the Sub Shop. We mostly got this one because it was on sale and quite inexpensive, but still looked nice - and it is. The only problem with it is the bit itself, which is rather large and quite hard. I can only wear it for a short period of time before it becomes uncomfortable. We never really intended this to be my standard bit, though, so we weren't terribly disappointed. And should we ever be in need of a mild punishment just to remind the pony who's boss, this would be quite well suited for that. 
These wrist and ankle cuffs from the Sub Shop. I decided shortly after being named that Schatten's color scheme would be black and silver (with some red thrown in, perhaps, if some items couldn't be found in silver). So when we found these cuffs, we had to have them. The silver bits have a sort of brushed steel look - shiny, but not super shiny - which is just what I wanted. And the rivets give them a solid, serious look. These cuffs are not dainty. In fact, they're quite masculine. Perhaps I already knew, subconsciously, that Schatten was to become my male pony persona.The only complaint we have about these is that the wrist cuffs are a bit too large. This isn't a surprise, really. I have ridiculously small wrists. But it is something that needs to be dealt with. Fortunately, I have recently acquired a leather punch, so I ought to be able to fix them. :)
I also found a silver belt at Wal-mart, of all places, that matches the cuffs fairly closely. I intend to use it to construct a tail harness, which I shall, of course, post more about once I actually get to work on it.
What We Want
Black Catsuit - Latex and/or Spandex
As I mentioned earlier, I've always imagined myself in a black latex catsuit. I've wanted a latex catsuit for ages anyway. And as soon as I can spare the extra cash, I hope to get one. Possibly, this one:
Of course, latex is not always the most practical material, so I'd like to have a spandex suit as well for those times when I don't want to or can't wear latex for whatever reason. I've been ogling spandexwear.com for some time, and I'd love to have of their suits, but I also recently discovered this unitard from River's Edge Dancewear:
Bridle - Silver or Black Leather
I'm always on the lookout for pretty bridles, and some of the most beautiful I've found thus far are made by a Canadian company called Sinvention. Pretty much everything they make is simply gorgeous, and the bridles are no different. They're all lovely, but I think this one is my favorite:
I love the pointed brow and the removable blinders. Mistress K. isn't particularly fond of blinders, so it would be nice to be able to take them off. I also really love the plume that this one's pictured with (which is optional). I decided early on that I definitely wanted a bridle was at least plume compatible, even if it didn't come with one. All of Sinvention's bridles are available with ears also. They're a bit too large for my taste, but then, I'm really picky about my ears. Alas, this one isn't available in the silver, but the red is quite lovely and, of course, they have it in black too. Plus, Sinvention does custom work, so it may be possible to get it made in silver. I definitely intend to inquire, at some point.
We're going to have to save a up a bit for this one, though, as the plume costs extra and customizations probably would as well. So in the meantime, we've been looking for a less expensive, more utilitarian "training halter." Our favorite, thus far, is this one from the Sub Shop:
This one has a lot going for it. It has lots of buckles (including one under the chin), which means it would be very adjustable and secure. The bit has a rubber coating, so it would be easy on the teeth and corners of the mouth. Plus, it's a snaffle bit - there's a joint in the middle, which gives the bit some flexibility and would make it a great deal more comfortable than a regular rigid bit. Definitely a bonus. Also, the bit is integrated into the halter, so we wouldn't have to buy one separately. Of course, we also couldn't use it separately, but bits themselves aren't terribly expensive or hard to come buy, so that's not really a big deal.
Pretty much the only thing we don't like about this halter is the way the face straps are configured - with the ring sitting on the forehead and the two diagonal straps partially covering the eyes. Neither of us finds this setup particularly aesthetically pleasing, and though I've never worn a harness like this, I have a sneaking suspicion that I would find those straps somewhat irritating. Of course, I could be wrong, and I think it may still be well worth trying.
Harness - Silver or Black Leather
I have yet to find a suitable harness in silver. In fact, I've had a hard time finding harnesses in anything other than black. But I'm still looking, and if all else fails, I might look into custom work. In the meantime, I'm quite fond of this harness from The Stockroom:
It's simple, yet attractive. I like the horizontal bands, and the wider straps. This one isn't as dainty and decorative as a lot of women's harnesses. This is more of a "utility harness." There are a couple of D-rings in the front, and an industrious person with some basic leather-working skills (such as myself) could easily add more. As an added bonus, this harness is custom-sized. You have to give a measurement for each strap - which will be made to adjust a few inches larger or smaller than your given measurement - so as long as you measure carefully, you know that the harness will fit perfectly. Which is always a good thing, especially for petite folks with short torsos like myself. I'm honestly not sure than a prefab harness would fit me, so this is definitely a good option.
And finally, this one is available in red and white as well as the standard black. So if I decide to go with the apparently-much-easier-to-find red for my tack, I can get this to match. Or, if I got the white, I could potentially dye it (if not silver, then grey, at least). I may have to experiment with that...
Hoof Boots
These are something I would like to have eventually, once I've compiled everything else. The icing on the pony, so to speak. :3 I'd prefer to have something comfortable and practical first. I have a pair of patent wedge-heeled pumps (from Newport News, of all places) that have been dubbed my "pony" shoes, since they have a rather hoof-like shape, but they're not terribly comfortable. I've been considering some kind of dance shoes - jazz shoes or, perhaps, tap shoes for the sound - since they'd be comfortable and especially easy to maneuver in.
That being said, for pure, aesthetic awesomeness, you really can't beat a nice pair of pony boots. And my personal favorites are those made by Punitive Shoes. They're handmade with Italian leather, wood wedges, and aluminum horse shoes (which are removable). And they're available in both matte and patent black, red, and white. I'd be absolutely thrilled to have any of them, but when I finally have to pick, I'll probably go with the Rancho:
Do I really need to say anything more about these? Look at them! *__*
Tail - Black
As mentioned earlier, I intend to try and construct my own tail harness. I have a vague, nebulous idea that I think would result in a rather realistic-looking tail. That being said, I've seen a couple of very nice real horsehair butt plug tails that I would not at all mind having. I don't imagine they'd be very practical if one intends to do a lot of walking, but they are quite pretty, and they do look like fun.
I will, of course, be updating and changing this list as Schatten continues to develop. But in the meantime, let me introduce you to my second pony persona...
Sugar
Sugar is the sweetness to Schatten's spice, an expression of my alternate, ultra-girly side - my love for all things pink and pretty, for cupcakes and cotton candy, for all those things that rot your teeth and take you one step closer to a diabetic coma. And, most importantly, make you smile.
She first began to develop way back when I first started considering my "pony look." The one idea I had that really stood out - aside from what was to become Schatten's look - was a sort of My Little Ponies aesthetic. Bright, playful colors and an overall "cute" look.
I loved the idea, but it just didn't fit Schatten, and it didn't occur to me at the time that I might have more than one pony persona. When I realized and began exploring my non-binary gender, however, it made perfect sense. I had Schatten to express my more masculine side - obviously I needed a more feminine persona as well.
I only have a few basic ideas regarding Sugar's look, thus far, but current plans are:
- A light blue catsuit/unitard in spandex, most likely from one of the sources mention above
- A pink halter (I intend to have a go at the method outlined in this tutorial for making one from nylon strapping)
- Pink wrist and ankle cuffs - most likely these or these
- White body harness (or, if they dying works out well, pink) or corset
- White (pony)boots/shoes
- Pink/blue mane and tail
- This bit in blue or pink
We're always looking for new tack sources, so if you've seen something cool, we'd be extremely grateful if you'd share! Just leave a comment or drop us a line at mylittleponygrrl[at]gmail[dot]com.
