As I announced before, we're going to start a monthly spotlight, published to the group here and in our SLPC blog, of various people involved with pony play in SL.
Our first person to be featured is Button Wright, Stable Mistress for the Frilly Filly Farm. Thanks to her and the permission of Maxim Tracy, I'm going to reprint an interview that Maxim did with Button in Summer of 2008.
Stay tuned, and more to come in the next months.
- Eva.
Hello, as part of our ongoing monthly spotlight on various people that are involved in the pony play community in SL, all parts of it, I have had the honor of having Button Wright of Frilly Filly Farm agree to be our first person featured. I find this to be a fitting start as Button is one of the sweetest and hard-working people that I know in running her stable and being involved in and with ponies. I've personally always enjoyed getting to know her and her input in invaluable.
The following interview was first printed in an SL magazine called BDSL Magazine in the Summer 2008 issue and done by Maxim Tracy. It is reprinted here with the permission of both Button and Maxim. I'd like to thank Maxim for letting us use it.
I've copied the interview here as well as included the original notecard done by Maxim at the bottom of this.
There will more to come each month. I'd like to cover various people, from just anyone that loves pony play, to ponies, owners, grooms, trainers, designers of pony gear.. you get the picture. ;)
- Evangeline
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[17:18] You: First question ... how did you noticed ponyplay ?
[17:18] Button Wright: do you mean how did I get started?
[17:18] You: yes how did it start
[17:19] Button Wright: I came to SL in September of 2006 and there were many from the BDSM community moving here at that time
[17:20] Button Wright: I became interested in the BDSM sites in SL and eventually started visiting ponygirl stables
[17:20] Button Wright: I had a slave who wanted to be a ponygirl
[17:21] Button Wright: so I went looking for a trainer
[17:21] Button Wright: I met Miss Faye at Frilly Filly and she suggested I study training and train my girl myself
[17:22] Button Wright: we both wanted to be ponygirls but I also wanted to learn to train
[17:23] Button Wright: Miss Faye was kind enough to teach me
[17:23] Button Wright: that was in November 2006
[17:24] Button Wright: that is how I began
[17:25] You: So you started as a pony yourself under protection of Miss Faye?
[17:25] Button Wright: I wanted to be a pony but only did it once in a while to learn training
[17:26] Button Wright: we trainers would take turns in tack learning from each other
[17:27] Button Wright: learning how to use the KDC bridle was my first big challenge
[17:28] Button Wright: Even Faye would get into tack once in a while
[17:28] Button Wright: It is her in tack that is the flag for Frilly Filly
[17:29] You: Faye is the old Stable Mistress ?
[17:29] Button Wright: yes she was stable mistress when I got there
[17:30] Button Wright: she is the founder of Frilly Filly
[17:30] You: So she build it all and start to make a place for ponys.
[17:30] Button Wright: yes
[17:30] Button Wright: she had been a ponygirl and started her own stable
[17:31] Button Wright: She was a pony at Black Rose stable
[17:32] You: Ah a pony from Mel
[17:32] Button Wright: yes Mel Melville has been a stable owner longest
[17:32] Button Wright: but she is not the first
[17:38] You: I hear that there are an old way and a new way to train ponygirls. What is the difference between them and how was you trained ?
[17:39] Button Wright: I do not know about old and new ways
[17:40] Button Wright: ponygirls have always been trained
[17:40] Button Wright: I learned Faye's way
[17:41] You: Are there any differences between the training she did and now ?
[17:41] Button Wright: I am gentler than Faye
[17:42] You: that means ?
[17:42] Button Wright: I try to understand the pony's needs
[17:42] Button Wright: Faye felt a pony was there to do as they were told
[17:43] Button Wright: So I have preferred trainers who are gentle, caring and loving
[17:44] Button Wright: we tried to have a strict training program in FFF when we had trainers who preferred it
[17:44] Button Wright: so ponies and trainers could choose
[17:45] Button Wright: but the strict trainers have no leadership right now
[17:45] Button Wright: Other stables offer more strict programs
[17:46] Button Wright: Mel calls us pony-lite
[17:46] You: Now for all new ponys out there could you tell me what you need basicly to start ?
[17:46] Button Wright: A ponygirl needs a good set of tack
[17:46] Button Wright: to make the transformation
[17:47] Button Wright: at least foot hooves
[17:47] Button Wright: a tail
[17:47] Button Wright: a harness for attaching to carts
[17:47] Button Wright: and a bridle with a bit and reins commands
[17:47] Button Wright: a pony AO is essential
[17:48] Button Wright: and pony sounds really help get into the role
[17:48] Button Wright: I love to hear ponies whinny and neigh
[17:48] Button Wright: it thrills me in a physical way
[17:49] Button Wright: the bit in the mouth prevents normal chat
[17:49] Button Wright: so a ponygirl has to find a more animal way of communicating
[17:49] Button Wright: which is essential to being successful
[17:50] Button Wright: when you can only communicate the most basic feelings of happy, upset, yes and no, you can shed a lot of your human cares
[17:50] You: Now you are the Stable Mistress of Frilly Filly Farm. How did you become the Stable Mistress after being a pony and trainer yourself ?
[17:51] Button Wright: Last spring Miss Faye had to spend time away from SL and asked me to run the farm in her absence
[17:52] Button Wright: when she came back she still could not take control again - she didn't have enough online time
[17:52] Button Wright: then there was a financial crisis
[17:52] Button Wright: and I asked the membership to help out
[17:53] Button Wright: members responded generously and contributed the money we needed
[17:53] Button Wright: they just gave it to me
[17:53] Button Wright: I was overwhelmed by their trust and support
[17:54] Button Wright: so we bought the land and I turned Frilly Filly into a membership owned group
[17:54] Button Wright: I manage the place and am the owner on paper
[17:54] Button Wright: but the membership contributes the money
[17:55] Button Wright: eventually Faye just retired
[17:55] You: So FFF starts to be an open ponyplace for homeless pony when you turned it into an open Area for all ?
[17:55] Button Wright: our stable has always been open to all well-mannered guests
[17:56] Button Wright: and we have never charged fees for training, stalls, or vendors
[17:56] You: So FFF was always open and not like other privat stalls ?
[17:56] Button Wright: but instead of a single owner, we are now a group owned facility
[17:56] You: So FFF was always open and not like other privat stalls ?
[17:57] Button Wright: Most stables in SL allow guests to visit
[17:57] Button Wright: as long as they follow stable rules
[17:59] You: Now how many stables are out there ?
[17:58] Button Wright: ponyplay in SL is a large open community
[17:58] Button Wright: we have a club that coordinates activities between stables
[17:59] Button Wright: I do not know how many there are
[17:59] Button Wright: there are some large and some small
[18:00] Button Wright: so there are always stables starting up and closing
[18:00] Button Wright: some are just personal stables for an owner and his or her ponies
[18:01] Button Wright: some are large facilities like FFF
[18:01] Button Wright: FFF has doubled in size in the past year
[18:01] You: Are there any activitys between the stables ?
[18:02] Button Wright: yes the SL Ponygirls Club coordinates activities that are for all ponies in SL
[18:02] Button Wright: Some stables hold open events that all are welcome to attend and participate
[18:02] Button Wright: Today AliKat stable had a polo game
[18:03] Button Wright: twice a year the club holds a pony olympics
[18:05] Button Wright: so there is much to do and learn and many friends to make in SL Ponyplay
[18:05] Button Wright: it is a vibrant community with many different people involved
[18:06] Button Wright: FFF alone has over 300 members
[18:11] You: Could you tell me a bit abouth the training you offer ?
[18:12] Button Wright: I see Frilly Filly as a place for beginning ponygirls
[18:13] Button Wright: we have many highly skilled competition ponies like Jo
[18:13] Button Wright: but we seldom turn new girls away
[18:13] Button Wright: so we stress the basics
[18:14] Button Wright: we teach girls how to get the tack they need
[18:14] Button Wright: and how to behave like a ponygirl
[18:14] Button Wright: then we teach them basic pony activities
[18:14] Button Wright: carting, slalom, steeplechase and dressage
[18:15] Button Wright: some decide to try to excel at one or more activities
[18:15] Button Wright: others just want to pull their owner around the farm with a cart
[18:16] Button Wright: some learn and move on
[18:16] Button Wright: activities like slalom and steeplechase can be very intense
[18:16] Button Wright: and take many months of practice
[18:17] Button Wright: but a pony can learn all the basics in a few lessons
[18:17] Button Wright: A lot of ponyplay is not the activites but the caring relationship between a trainer or owner and their ponies
[18:18] Button Wright: I spend a lot of my time grooming the ponies
[18:18] Button Wright: brushing out their manes, bathing them, and giving them treats
[18:21] Button Wright: I like to stress carting
[18:21] Button Wright: we have built a lot more carting trails at FFF
[18:21] Button Wright: and I feel any pony needs to be able to provide a pleasant ride with a cart
[18:22] Button Wright: so we provide a variety of carts and an extensive set of trails
[18:23] You: In all this activities what do you like most ?
[18:23] Button Wright: I like dressage
[18:24] Button Wright: Dressage is like a dance done with a pony and a trainer
[18:24] Button Wright: the trainer leads and the pony follows
[18:25] Button Wright: it requires concentration and comunication between the two
[18:32] You: How do people become a pony or a trainer at FFF ?
[18:32] Button Wright: we have a training note that tells potential ponygirls what they need to know
[18:33] Button Wright: after they read that I do a intake interview to make sure we are the right stable for them
[18:33] Button Wright: no pony joins FFF without my approval
[18:33] Button Wright: trainers start the same way
[18:34] Button Wright: we start trainers as either grooms or student trainers
[18:35] Button Wright: as such, they can meet and interact with ponygirls and watch trainers
[18:35] Button Wright: when they have shown themselves to fit in and can do basic training, we make them a trainer
[18:36] Button Wright: trainers who master all the basics and the farm philosophy become promoted to senior trainers
[18:37] Button Wright: this three tiered program allows us to teach trainers without holding special classes for them
[18:37] Button Wright: the senior trainers become responsible for the new student trainers
[18:38] Button Wright: this allows me to focus on managing the sim
[18:38] Button Wright: and dealing with the interperonal dynamics
[18:38] Button Wright: I spend most of my online time in IMs with members of the group
[18:38] Button Wright: the blank Button stare
[18:39] Button Wright: as i handle multiple IMs and try to stay involved in the local chat
