In pony play, the submissive partner is made to behave like a pony. This often includes wearing outfits to give the subject a more animal like appearance.
Human ponies are usually not permitted to talk, however safe-words are usually accepted.
There are four main categories of ponies, distinguished by its use.
As the name says, the cart pony is meant to pull a cart. The outfit of a cart pony usually includes a heavy belt or leather straps to attach the cart.
A display, or show, pony is dressed up and groomed purely for display. This form of pony usually features the most elaborate outfit that are often very revealing. Most ponies in this category are female.
Because of the weight of the rider, most riding ponies are male. Their outfits often include a saddle and some form of head/neck gear for the rider to hold on to. Depending on strength and statue, the rider can sit on the shoulders of the pony, on the back of a standing pony using a special saddle or the pony can be on all four and the rider sitting on its back.
This form of pony play centers around the humiliation and dehumanization aspects of turning a human into an animal. Outfits are usually much cruder and often improvised to give additional emphasis to the fact that the subject has become a lowly animal.
Outfits for human ponies are very diverse and mostly depend on the type of pony. Show ponies have the widest variety of outfits, many of them have very little to do with animal appearance, i.e. maid outfits. There are no general requirements or guidelines although most pony costumes include a bit style gag.
The head gear is by many considered the most important part of a human pony outfit. Head gear can come in many different forms.
Head pieces are usually made from black or red leather. Other colors exist but are hard to find. Simple head gear is usually very affordable but complex pieces can often run several hundred dollar. A custom piece can be even more expensive.
The body gear varies greatly with the type of pony. A show pony can wear pretty much anything. A cart pony often wears a belt that can be attached to the cart. Riding ponies often wear a saddle. The saddle for a four legged horse can be a regular saddle with additional padding underneath. A saddle for a two legged pony needs to be specially designed for human wear.
Since horses can’t use their hands, many human ponies wear restraints. Wrist cuffs that can hook into a belt (or the handles of the cart for cart ponies) are one common method of restraining a pony. Arm binders are also fairly common.
A tail is a common accessory for ponies. The tail can be attached to panties or a belt or it can be a butt plug with a tail connected to the base. The plug version is especially popular among humiliation ponies.
Another accessory for human ponies are hoofs. There are no current commercial suppliers for hoofs but instructions for hoofs exist.
A long list of activities is available to human ponies. They include training, grooming and show.
The first thing human ponies need to learn is to balance with gear. This can be accomplished by walking and later running in full gear. Ponies are usually trained to walk properly, that means lifting the knee high until the top of the thigh is level (the upper and lower leg form a inverted L shape). Often the trainer will use a long riding crop to remind the pony when the posture and movements are not appropriate. This initial training is usually done with firm flat shoes or boots. Most show ponies and some cart and humiliation ponies then move on to wearing high heels or platform shoes.
Show ponies usually have a much more elaborate training following the initial balance training. This training includes postures, kneeling and often synchronous movements with other ponies.
Serious pony owners often get help by a dedicated trainer to enhance the abilities of their ponies.
Grooming is another activity many ponies and their owners are into. Grooming of a pony includes taking care of the hair, tail and the outfit. Grooming is meant to be a quiet sensual time to increase the bond between owner and pony.
Pony shows are common among pony play enthusiasts. Display ponies are dressed up, often with makeup, and then taken around on a leash, showing off poses.