Farrier Day

Once you're out the door you immediately pull the lead taut, you're just so excited to go. "Calm down Buttons, we're not going to the park..." She said park! We're definitely going to the park.

After the third wrong turn you're starting to suspect we might not be going to the usual park, but Master knows where she's going after all, you trust her 100%. About fifteen minutes later you arrive at a pretty wooden building with a shady porch and french doors, nestled between a milk bar and some kind of workout studio. Master leads you inside where the sudden smell of horse washes over you. Inside you pass five or so seated humans, scrolling their phones before coming to a reception. Your master and the receptionist talk for a bit, you recognise your name when it's spoken, but you don't gleam anything else. Finally, they exchange bits of paper and Master leads you to a pretty, grassy courtyard with a big, shady tree. There are ponies grazing, sunbathing and having little races with each other. Now we're talking, you knew Master would find the park in the end! Master unclips your leash and you spare no time sussing things out. A few sniffs of the turf tell you that a lot of ponies come through here, of every shape and size, the grass is bermuda, and somepony in here had apple slices for breakfast. A beige unicorn trots up to you, and gives you a timid sniff, and you return the gesture. She's a rather slim mare, but considering you just found out who had the slices for breakfast, you don't think she's underfed. She leads you back to the herd that had formed under the shade of the tree, and you both join in on the grazing. You and the beige mare aren't that hungry, so you only stay for a few bites before you start racing each other around the tree. She won most of the time, her legs are definitely longer than yours, but you had a lot of fun. Once you had tired each other out, you returned to the shady tree to rest. A little while later, a woman opens the door to the courtyard and calls for "Snow." Your unicorn friend scrambles to her hooves and canters over, with you in tow. "Hi sweetheart, did you make a friend?" she asks as she scoops up the unicorn. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll see her next month too," she says as they disappear back inside.

You hope you see that mare again.

Only a few more minutes pass before Master calls for you as well. She picks you up and carries you back inside where a man wearing a navy blue staff uniform is waiting. He looks friendly, but you sniff at him to be sure. There's a light fruit smell, but also of metal and wood. You don't know what to make of it, but there's no red flags.

"Do you mind if I come with her? It's her first time," asks Master.

"That's totally fine," says the man, "we have sit-ins all the time, separation anxiety is very common in micros, and we want them to be as comfortable as possible."

Master hands you over to the man and follows him past reception into a room with four polished timber tables, covered in dents; all but one was occupied by a pony and a staff member. A white earth mare with a blue-streaked mane had her human sitting in with her. The man sets you down on the table, and you turn about, a little anxious about being up so high. Master soothes your anxiety with some petting while the man puts something in a cabinet. "I'll be right here, sweetie," she says as she gives you a final ear rub before sitting on the nearby chair.

The man takes Master's place at the table and begins testing the waters, touching your leg closer and closer to the hoof. You're a little anxious, but he isn't making any sudden movements that would spook you. Eventually he comes to your left forehoof and he grasps it ever so lightly. You try to be brave, but after a few moments you can't help but pull your hoof away and up to your barrel. Little did you realise, this was all part of the man's plan, and he cups his hand around your hoof as you relax and lower it. "Good girl." Now he has your hoof right where he wants it. He takes a little brush from his belt and begins gently sweeping the dirt out of your frog. It's a funny sensation, of course you don't feel it directly, but you feel the pressure and the vibrations up your leg. For a moment it becomes a little too much, and you push your hoof back down to the table. The man doesn't stop you. He pets you gently and gives you a moment before moving his hand to your hoof again; like before he grasps it gently, it's less a surprise the second time, but you still raise your hoof, and he catches it like before. "Good girl," he praises you again before resuming his brushing. When he's finished, he releases your hoof and you return it to the table. "You're doing so good Buttons," your master praises from the sidelines; with her praise– and the man's you feel a bit more confident when he reveals the next tool. This one looks a bit sharper than the last one. You quickly learn that when he touches the sides of your hoof, you're supposed to lift it, then he'll praise you– and he does. "Good girl," he says as he brings the sharp tool to your hoof. He begins scraping away at your hoof, and while it doesn't hurt, it does frighten you more than the brush; you put your hoof down again. He gives it another try, and then on the third time, you manage to keep your cool all the way until he's done. You're beginning to get the hang of this, and your hoof already feels different– good different! The man and his tools aren't so scary, they feel good! Next is the clippers, it's a new sensation as much as the last, and the pulling does give you a bit of a fright, but you only put your hoof down once, and at the end, your hoof feels better yet. Last is the file; the man smooths out all the little imperfections in your hoof until it's pretty and perfectly round. You were so anxious at first, but the way your hoof feels now, you're almost excited for him to do the next one.

This time the man moves to your left hindhoof. This is a bit scarier than the front, you feel more vulnerable. Like your forehoof, he strokes your leg gently before lightly squeezing your hoof, and you pull it up in an instant. It's so instinctual each time that you forget it's all part of the routine. "Good girl." You calm down as he holds your hindhoof gently, and begins brushing it clean. With the man behind you, it's much easier to see Master in the chair watching over you, which adds some comfort, but you're still a prey animal being held in a vulnerable position, and you drop your hoof a few times before getting to the clippers. You do much better with the clippers, and you don't drop your hoof at all for the rasp. Master is so proud of you. "Who's my brave girl?" she says, petting your ears as the man moves to the other side of the table. Right forehoof this time, squeeze and up. "Good girl." You got this. Brush, knife, clippers, rasp. Another hoof cleaned, prettified and feeling simply divine. That was probably your personal best! The last hoof being a hindleg, you dropped it a few times, you're only pony after all; but now all your hooves look and feel great!

"All done," says the man to your master.

Master steps over to the table and looks you over. "Thank you so much, she looks amazing, and I'm sure she's feeling much better after so long without a trim," she says, ruffling your mane.

"Definitely," he concurs.

Master carries you back to the waiting room and re-attaches your leash, she waves to the man and one of the waiting humans, before you both head out the door.

You can't help but wonder where you're going next.