CHAPTER 7 - Earning their keep

At the usual monthly meeting of the staff, where a decision how best to use Fire and Storm was discussed, the Contessa said she thought they would be right for both disciplines. They had excelled in all their training regimes and so it was agreed that they would be used in both the show ring and on the race track; this was not unusual as a number of successful trainers had ponies who were both racers and showers. The change in routine kept them keen and interested.

The next race meet was in a month's time, so it was decided that they would be entered in two events in the novice class; one was a sprint distance of 1500 metres and the other 5000 meters. As the girls had been very fit before they arrived at the stables, it was felt that they could take both distances quite easily.

For the next three weeks their training consisted of sprinting as fast as they could, interspersed with periods of long excursions out into the countryside in order to increase their stamina.

Unusually for the Contessa, she was getting quite nervous as the race meeting arrived. She pondered again whether she was being too ambitious in entering her charges in both races. The races consisted of heats, semi-finals and finals. As the meet was over four days, it being a holiday meet, there would be plenty of time for the ponies to recuperate between races. Still she thought only time would tell.

The Contessa decided that she would take her entries to the track the day before the race in order for them to settle and get a feel of the place. Fire and Storm were duly loaded on to the horse transporter, a motorised one in this instance, as the journey was considerable. The vehicle was fitted with comfortable seats into which they were strapped. Once secure and in no danger of being hurt during the trip, the Contessa left Hannah to look after them inside and went to sit with the driver.

CHAPTER 8 - The Races

Although the meeting didn't start until the next day, the place was very busy, with trainers giving their mares a workout and lots of racetrack employees going about their business. It was quite a shock, therefore, for Fire and Storm, as they were led out of the horsebox and into the ground. They had of course got used to being naked in front of the grooms and trainers at the du Brioch stables, but to be naked in front of a number of strangers was mortifying; it would be even worse on race days.

They were given a short workout in order to brush the cobwebs off from the journey and were then taken to a paddock and left to laze around for an hour or so. In the paddock they got to meet several other mares and fillies, all of whom were very friendly, nuzzling them and generally being affectionate. When Hannah arrived to take them into their stall for the night, she was pleased to see them settling down, as the Contessa was still quite concerned that they were being raced too early.

The first race started at 11 am. There were to be three heats, with the first two in each race plus the two fastest losers going into the semi-finals and the first two in each semi-final going into the final. In each case the heats and the semi-finals would be run on one day and the final on the following day. This gave plenty of time for the ponies to recover from their exertions.

Both Fire and Storm were drawn in the same heat so it was imperative that they finish first and second to be certain of a place in the semi-final. The Contessa was nervously giving instructions to the drivers who were both very experienced and were sure that they could see off the opposition. Notwithstanding her nervousness, the Contessa still had enough confidence to place numerous bets on her two runners. Not only did she back each to win, she also backed them for a place and in forecast, either to win with the other second, and for a very large amount. Although one had to back a mare before the first heat was run, the actual starting price was not fixed until the final, so in the case of Fire and Storm if they didn't reach the final she would have lost her money.

The two drivers, Anna for Fire and Vladimir for Storm, climbed into their respective sulkies and took their charges for a gentle trot down the track and back. They both knew that this was the best way to calm a pony before a race. It was also a chance for the pony to get used to the crowd and the noise. Both Fire and Storm quickly became acclimatised to the situation and appeared eager to get to the start.

At the off, it was Fire who burst into the lead followed by the other two contestants, Saffron and Blaze and finally Storm. After the first lap Fire was still in the lead but Storm had gained a place. Fire was running like the wind. Anna could feel that she was well within herself so didn't hold her back. By the end of the third lap Vladimir had inched Storm up to the side of her rival for second place. He gave Storm a sharp crack of the whip across her rump and Storm leapt forward and surged past her opponent. The advantage was short lived however, as the other mare was made of stern stuff and fought back and at the end of the race the positions were first, Fire, second Saffron, and third Storm. The times were Fire 4 min 54.4 sec; Saffron 5 min 2 sec and Storm 5 min 2.25 sec. In the other heats the winning times were more than that of Storm, so she qualified as a fastest loser. They were drawn in opposite semi-finals and both finished second, thereby qualifying for the final the following day. As this would undoubtedly be a tactical race Anna and Vladimir agreed that they would join forces for the first three laps and after that it would be the better horse that won.

As it turned out, the need for tactics was unnecessary as the other two ponies didn't appear to have recovered from the previous heats and didn't put up much of a fight. Fire was allowed to go off at her usual fast pace and by the end of the second lap had opened up a 30-metre lead. Vladimir, sensing that Storm wanted to go after Fire, held her in check. He knew after the previous races what she was capable of and was confident that Fire could not sustain her initial speed. This proved to be the case and by the time the final lap was in sight, Storm was running at Fire's heels. At the start of the last lap Vladimir flicked the whip over Storm's shoulder and she responded with a burst of speed that took her past Fire. Fire came back strongly but Storm's momentum was enough to carry her over the line in first place, with Fire just a few metres behind, and with the other two 30 to 35 metres further back.

As Hannah and the Contessa were leading Fire and Storm back to their stalls a commotion broke out further down the track. When they reached the site of the commotion they were appalled by the sight of Saffron being dragged along by her owner and being hit with a riding crop. The Contessa, realising that tact and diplomacy would serve the purpose better than harsh words calmed Saffron down and said she would help get the pony to her stall, leaving Hannah to see to Fire and Storm. It was some considerable time before she returned.

When she did eventually return she told them that Saffron's owner was a man called Rashide - his father and her father had been great friends. Unfortunately Rashide's father had been killed in a tragic accident about two years earlier and Rashide had taken it hard. So much so that he had taken to drink and had let the stable deteriorate. The Contessa told him she would help but he had turned the offer down.

That evening, the Contessa, Hannah and the two drivers had a meeting to discuss how to run the longer races. It was felt that Fire's penchant for fast running would not work in the 5000 metres. This time there would only be two heats and then the final. The heats would be run in the morning and the final in the afternoon of the following day, giving the ponies plenty of rest in between.

As all the ponies were novices, there was no form to check up on. None of the other ponies had been entered into the 1500 metres. So, after much discussion, it was decided to keep the du Brioch ponies in about third or fourth place for as much of the race as possible leaving them to 'kick' with two laps to go. As it was all very new to the ponies they would need to be kept on a tight rein in case they broke too early.

This time Fire and Storm were drawn in separate heats; Storm being in the first heat. Vladimir had got such a good rapport going with this mare after just two days that he let her have her head as soon as he felt she would not run away from him. They went round keeping in the centre of the field until two laps from home when Vladimir flicked the whip and Storm accelerated past the rest so easily that they almost seemed to be standing still.

The second heat with Fire in was a different kettle of fish. Fire seemed to think she knew better than Anna how to run the race and tried to streak away in her usual fashion. Unfortunately for Fire, Anna was a very experienced driver, and with judicious use of the reins and whip had Fire racing how she wanted her to race, but it cost quite a bit of ground. At the end Fire came in second about 10 metres behind the winner.

In the final both mares settled down to a steady pace, Fire having learned her lesson from earlier. By the halfway mark they were in 3rd and 4th positions respectively and going at a steady pace. At the three-quarter stage Vladimir nudged Storm into 2nd place, but Anna kept Fire where she was in 3rd. With two laps to go and with both mares running well within themselves they were given their heads. Storm flew into the lead and by the start of the last lap Fire was on her heels. Storm held the lead until the last hundred metres when she ran out of steam and Fire reversed the position from the earlier final, with Storm about 2 metres back in second place.

The Contessa was highly delighted with the performances not only of Fire and Storm but also with Anna and Vladimir. It also helped that she had won 27,350 crowns, which covered the cost of entering and made more than 23,000 crowns profit. She hugged both ponies and made a big fuss of them. Then taking the reins she led them back to their stalls and proceeded to remove their harnesses and to hose them down before settling them in for the night. A short time later Hannah looked in on them and said, "well done, you two, you'll make great racing ponies. If you do as well in the show ring we'll all be very proud of you."

Fire and Storm ran many races over the season, including racing as pairs - this involved the two of them harnessed side-by-side so they had to be in complete harmony with each other. Their training had ironed out any problems they had such as one running with a longer stride than the other, or not running with the same leg going forward. They had a few mishaps in training but by the time they were racing for real they had it all mastered. Over the first season they ran 30 races, either individually or as a pair and between them they won 25 and came second in the other five.

While the racing season was in progress the Contessa decided that Fire and Storm would undergo training for the show ring. The showing season was due to start at the end of the racing season. This fit in well with having ponies that were groomed for both disciplines. The trainer, Solam, reported back to the Contessa each week and was full of praise for their eagerness to learn.

Fire, who had given up all thoughts of escape, and Storm, both had settled down to being pony girls and were enjoying everything they did.

CHAPTER 9 - Servicing

With the intensity of their training neither pony had given any thought to their physical needs, so it came as a shock one day when, instead of being taken to the arena for training, they were led into a paddock and left. They had been wandering around for a while when the gate was opened again and in came two more ponies. This time though they were not mares, but stallions. They looked round in bewilderment waiting for a groom to come and separate them. When no one came they started to move away nervously. The stallions were not rushing up to them, they ambled over and started to nuzzle, licking their faces, nipping their ears and generally being as friendly as they could under the circumstances. It soon became obvious to Fire and Storm that they had been missing out on sex and that no one was going to yell at them; the situation had undoubtedly been engineered so they started flirting. They trotted off a little way looking back coyly, making sure they were being followed, whinnying loudly when they felt the stallions interest waning. Eventually, the game was over and they knelt offering their rumps for the stallions to mount them.

By the time one of the grooms came for them they had both been mounted twice more.

"I gather you enjoyed your time in the paddock," he said, grinning. "I had better get you cleaned up before taking you over to the arena". Fire and Storm looked shyly at him. It was still difficult to come to terms with the fact that everything they did was, or could be, seen by anybody, from relieving their bodily wastes to having their sexual needs fulfilled. They had just about come to terms with the fact that they were paraded around naked and now they had to contend with being watched whilst copulating.

CHAPTER 10 - The Show Ring

Over the next five months they were shown at numerous events not only in Murchoria, but in several other middle-European countries also. With each event they learnt more and more about the art of the show ring. There were, of course, the usual events, such as jumping over various obstacles, jumping through hoops and pulling a sulky, without a driver, through a slalom made out of cones.

All the ponies were timed round the course, with points being deducted for any obstacle knocked down or any cone hit. After a shaky start, both Fire and Storm were winning events quite regularly. In fact, the Contessa pointed out at one of the monthly meetings, that the prize money alone that they had won for the stables more than covered the initial investment. What with that and the money she had made betting on them, there would be a nice bonus for the staff this year.

One other matter to be discussed was the decision of the international body for the human ponies to introduce a new category in the show ring, namely the same obstacles but performed by a pair of ponies at the same time.

Solam was excited by this new suggestion as he was convinced that Fire and Storm would be able to master the discipline. So much so, that he suggested that they try them out immediately. After only a few attempts they were going round with no faults. Even the pulling of two sulkies side-by-side round the slalom proved to be no problem.

Although there were pony girl stables in many countries it wasn't often they could compete against one another, the logistical problems involved being considerable. However, once every 4 years an international meeting was held. This time America was to be host. The Contessa decided that she would take six ponies along with herself, Hannah, Solam, Vladimir and Anna. The staff, including the Contessa herself, would all take turns as grooms during the visit.

Two of the ponies, Chantar and Bright Eyes would be used solely for racing and Fire and Storm for the show ring. The other two, Juniper and White Star would be doubled up for both disciplines.

Solam became obsessed with Fire and Storm's training, he had them in the arena with the doors locked and the blinds down so that nobody could see what was happening. This went on for two months prior to the international event.

On arrival in America once the ponies had been stabled, there was a chance for everyone to inspect the venue. Everything was in the one place. There was accommodation for the ponies and their handlers, plus also training facilities and the stadium where the events were to take place. The track for racing was outside but there was also a large arena for the show jumping, which was undercover and also air-conditioned. Hannah thought the du Brioch stables were sumptuous and well laid out, but this was just exquisite. Not only were the stalls air-conditioned, but there was piped music playing in the background. The head stable hand told them that they had found that soft music calmed even the most skittish of animals. He explained that this was a working stables but that they had moved their stock, except the ones that were going to compete, to another location while the international event was taking place.

On the track, the du Brioch stables were enjoying some success, in that of the four ponies they acquired two bronze medals and a gold. Juniper, the only one not to win anything was unlucky to be beaten into fourth place. Even so the prize money came to 60,000 American dollars. The Contessa had made about 20,000 dollars in bets as well.

They weren't quite so fortunate in the individual events in the show ring, Juniper having won a bronze medal but White Star was only able to manage tenth position.

When the time came for the pairs everyone was excited and nervous both at the same time. This was after all unknown territory. Of course it was the same for all the contestants. The only person from the du Brioch contingent who didn't seem at all concerned was Solam. That is not counting Fire and Storm; they trotted round without a care in the world. They just loved the fuss and attention they were getting; they really were beautiful.

The pairs' event was in two parts, the first was the compulsory section where the ponies had to complete a set routine with marks being deducted by the judges for any infringement, such as touching a cone or failing to take a jump. The second part was the freestyle, where the ponies completed a routine set by their trainers.

Judges from ten countries, America, Canada, Russia, China, Japan, Singapore, England, India, France and Germany would each decide how well the ponies had performed the task and would award marks accordingly. Marks were given on technical merit and also on artistic interpretation. Each judge was able to award a maximum of ten points for each part so there was a potential 400 points available.

As in racing, there were heats. The field was whittled down to 12 competing pairs for the final round. Making the final were the pairs from America, Russia, Japan, Singapore, India, Slovakia, China, New Zealand, England, Murchoria, France and Australia.

At the end of the compulsory section, Fire and Storm were lying in eighth position with 166 points. In the lead were the Russian pair with 173, next came the Japanese pair on 171, third were the American pair on 170, equal fourth were the Indian and Slovakian pairs on 169, and equal sixth were the German pair and the New Zealand pair on 167.

During the freestyle the lead changed hands several times and by the time Fire and Storm, who were drawn last, were set to go the situation was: first; Germany, 364, second; France, 362, third; Slovakia, 361, equal fourth; Japan and Australia, 360, equal sixth, India and China, 359, eighth; New Zealand, 357, ninth; Russia, 356, equal tenth; America and England, 355.

The announcer asked that there be complete silence during the performance of the team from Murchoria; there was a general buzzing round the crowd at this request, but the reason became obvious when both mares were hooded. The judges waited a few moments for the noise to die down and then the whistle to start the round was blown. As one, the two ponies took three paces and cleared the first jump. They turned in opposite directions took two more paces and jumped. The crowd watched all this with baited breath; the ponies turned once more took three paces this time and jumped. This went on until they were moving towards each other; they reached the jump together and cleared it. They continued round the course until they were side-by-side with one jump to clear. They took two paces and jumped, they were clear and then they bowed to the judges. There was a stunned silence for about 10 seconds, though it seemed an eternity to the Contessa, then the applause broke out, people were whistling, cheering, stamping their feet and generally making as much noise as they could. Eventually the announcer managed to get the crowd quiet for the judge's marks. First for technical merit; India; 10, Russia; 10, China; 10, Japan; 10; France; 10, England; 10, Canada; 10, America; 10, Germany; 10 and finally Singapore; 10. The crowd went wild again, they obviously agreed with the judges. The Contessa was quickly calculating the scores and found that they needed 98 to be first equal. The judges were delivering their verdict on artistic impression. This time the crowd were calling the marks as each judge raised his or her board. Ten, the crowd cheered, ten, more cheers; ten, ten, ten, ten, ten, ten, ten, and ten. Another perfect score, it was pandemonium; people were cheering, waving anything they could find and generally shouting themselves hoarse. Meanwhile nobody had realised that Fire and Storm were waiting quite patiently for their hoods to be removed. Hannah was the first to realise and ran across to them, removed the hoods and gently led them from the arena, where she watered them and gave them some pieces of fruit.

Back in the arena, some sort of order had prevailed and the prize giving ceremony was about to take place. Cheques for $30,000 and $65,000 dollars were awarded to the owners of the third and second place ponies. When the Contessa was invited on to the podium for the presentation of a beautiful crystal vase and a cheque for $100,000, she immediately called for Solam to join her. Suddenly there were chants of we want Fire and Storm, which grew to such a crescendo that the organisers called for Hannah to bring them in to do a lap of honour. In fact they did three laps before the crowd would let them go.