Born to Run
Dec. 17th, 2016 11:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
twilightponyPinkie came knocking at my door before breakfast, wearing legwarmers and a sports whistle (for sport related emergencies), all hot to trot. And gallop. Seeing her legwarmers, I felt a bit under-dressed. What would Rarity do? What would she wear? Not a hat, that would fall off. Ear muffs are too warm. Maybe a scarf. A breezy silk scarf. I invited Pinkie in and we picked out a fine scarlet scarf and tied it on securely. All ready to go!
Pinkie's plan was to run once around Ponyville, crossing the river on the Saddle Lake bridge, along the riverside to the windmill bridge and around back to the castle. From there it would be straight through town to Café Hay for breakfast. Sounds good to me. I tightened my scarf, Pinkie reared up on her hind legs and kicked the air, and we were off, through the fields towards the river! We galloped at first to shake out the tickles and bursts of adrenaline and then I slowed down to a fast trot. Pinkie slowed down until I caught up and as we approached the river I explained what I had read about pacing. Meanwhile, several ponies out grazing and taking a morning walk saw us gallop by, and as we slowed to a fast trot, a few came pronking and cantering up from behind to join us. Running is infectious.
Pinkie slowed down to confirm what they had guessed, that this was a fun run and a warm up for the Running of the Leaves. Pinkie caught up again with me as we crossed the first bridge. We were now five ponies pounding down the path, high tailed and blowing steam into the cool morning air. I asked Pinkie about the hoof ring from Yakyakistan, which she had managed to re-purpose as a ponytail ring at the base of her tail, holding it in place with knot and several long hairpins. It was bobbing around a lot and it looked to me that she could get jabbed by one of those hairpins at any moment. Pinkie said this was the only way she could think of wearing it, yak hooves are a lot thinner than pony hooves and there was no way she could wear it as a leg band unless she cut it and opened it a lot wider.
As we trotted toward the windmill bridge, a couple of foals followed us on the Ponyville side of the river and ended up waiting for us to cross the bridge. They knew one of the three mares that had joined us and they asked to run with us. Of course! Now we were seven circling Ponyville through the morning mists and long shadows, our pounding hooves turning heads. Here and there a pony out walking and taking in the air would watch us wide eyed as we rushed past, and if caught by the whirlwind in our wake, toss their manes and come barreling after us. Soon we were ten ponies feeling the thrill of the blood pounding through our veins, the rush of the air and the flexing of our hooves on the hard ground. Twelve ponies, we rounded a corner and there, down a straightaway, the castle! I pulled out all the stops and kicked into a straight, hard gallop, streaking down the road to the castle as fast as I could go, Pinkie right behind me practically breathing down my neck. Nearly there, I veered right and kept going, around the castle and slowing gradually to a canter as we got back to the entrance. The two foals were just then arriving at the castle and blowing hard. I was feeling a bit winded myself. Everypony caught up, and with a lot of giggling and snorting, we trotted slowly back in town. Most of them went back to whatever it was they had been doing before getting swept up in our little run, but the three that had joined us before the first bridge stayed with us. We had caught our breaths, cooled down and reined in our wild spirits by the time we reached Café Hay. We were ready for a civil breakfast.
By chance, Rarity walked by while we were waiting for our orders and she joined us. She didn't seem too keen to come running with us tomorrow, but watching us run by would be more her style. Talk of style led to fixing Pinkie's ersatz tail ring. Earlier, Pinkie had broken one of the hairpins and had poked herself with another when she sat down at Café Hay. Her high pitched squeak had led Rarity to look our way and spot us at the Café. Rarity pulled out the pins and replaced the ponytail knot with two infinity braids, one above and the other below the yak hoof ring, and tied the two braids together with ribbon under the tail. That ring is still too big for a pony tail. Maybe Pinkie should get it stretched.
Pinkie's plan was to run once around Ponyville, crossing the river on the Saddle Lake bridge, along the riverside to the windmill bridge and around back to the castle. From there it would be straight through town to Café Hay for breakfast. Sounds good to me. I tightened my scarf, Pinkie reared up on her hind legs and kicked the air, and we were off, through the fields towards the river! We galloped at first to shake out the tickles and bursts of adrenaline and then I slowed down to a fast trot. Pinkie slowed down until I caught up and as we approached the river I explained what I had read about pacing. Meanwhile, several ponies out grazing and taking a morning walk saw us gallop by, and as we slowed to a fast trot, a few came pronking and cantering up from behind to join us. Running is infectious.
Pinkie slowed down to confirm what they had guessed, that this was a fun run and a warm up for the Running of the Leaves. Pinkie caught up again with me as we crossed the first bridge. We were now five ponies pounding down the path, high tailed and blowing steam into the cool morning air. I asked Pinkie about the hoof ring from Yakyakistan, which she had managed to re-purpose as a ponytail ring at the base of her tail, holding it in place with knot and several long hairpins. It was bobbing around a lot and it looked to me that she could get jabbed by one of those hairpins at any moment. Pinkie said this was the only way she could think of wearing it, yak hooves are a lot thinner than pony hooves and there was no way she could wear it as a leg band unless she cut it and opened it a lot wider.
As we trotted toward the windmill bridge, a couple of foals followed us on the Ponyville side of the river and ended up waiting for us to cross the bridge. They knew one of the three mares that had joined us and they asked to run with us. Of course! Now we were seven circling Ponyville through the morning mists and long shadows, our pounding hooves turning heads. Here and there a pony out walking and taking in the air would watch us wide eyed as we rushed past, and if caught by the whirlwind in our wake, toss their manes and come barreling after us. Soon we were ten ponies feeling the thrill of the blood pounding through our veins, the rush of the air and the flexing of our hooves on the hard ground. Twelve ponies, we rounded a corner and there, down a straightaway, the castle! I pulled out all the stops and kicked into a straight, hard gallop, streaking down the road to the castle as fast as I could go, Pinkie right behind me practically breathing down my neck. Nearly there, I veered right and kept going, around the castle and slowing gradually to a canter as we got back to the entrance. The two foals were just then arriving at the castle and blowing hard. I was feeling a bit winded myself. Everypony caught up, and with a lot of giggling and snorting, we trotted slowly back in town. Most of them went back to whatever it was they had been doing before getting swept up in our little run, but the three that had joined us before the first bridge stayed with us. We had caught our breaths, cooled down and reined in our wild spirits by the time we reached Café Hay. We were ready for a civil breakfast.
By chance, Rarity walked by while we were waiting for our orders and she joined us. She didn't seem too keen to come running with us tomorrow, but watching us run by would be more her style. Talk of style led to fixing Pinkie's ersatz tail ring. Earlier, Pinkie had broken one of the hairpins and had poked herself with another when she sat down at Café Hay. Her high pitched squeak had led Rarity to look our way and spot us at the Café. Rarity pulled out the pins and replaced the ponytail knot with two infinity braids, one above and the other below the yak hoof ring, and tied the two braids together with ribbon under the tail. That ring is still too big for a pony tail. Maybe Pinkie should get it stretched.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-18 03:40 pm (UTC)