The great thing about sex and intimacy is that there is definitely something for everyone and a community that will welcome you with open arms. BDSM is an umbrella term that stands for 'bondage discipline sadism and masochism'. It also encompasses aspects of dominance and submission and explores the power dynamics present in the sex life of bdsm relationships.
The BDSM community allows people to explore their sexual intrigues and dip their toes into the sexual acts of role play, BDSM dynamics and more. One of the niches under the BDSM umbrella is pony play. Pony play, contrary to first thoughts when hearing of it, doesn't consist of sitting in a circle and playing with horse figurines. Pony play is a form of animal role play where one or more participants dress/present themselves as a non-human animal.
In the case of pony play, a mask of some sort is often worn. These masks may resemble a traditional leather gimp mask, or be stylized to look like a horses muzzle. This can be coupled with a bit, reins, blinders, and a harness. To complete the look, a mane and tail may also be added to the ensemble. Really, it comes down to the individuals practicing it. The bondage gear that is worn during pony play is based off of what a 'bio horse' (a term to distinguish those of the equine persuasion from humans in this context) might wear when racing, grazing, or being ridden. This gear is rearranged and reworked to fit human bodies. Pony players are often categorized by what activities they like to participate in to differentiate between interests and activities.
Show Ponies perform similarly to dressage horses. These ponies are often dressed elaborately and styled to mimic the appearance of their equine counterpart. Then they will often compete in a choreographed performance, similar to a dressage event.
Cart Ponies are harnessed to a horse-cart which is designed for their dominant to stand in while using reins to give directions. These carts are similar to a traditional sulky you could see on a racetrack. They consist of a lightweight body, where the dominant will stand, and sits on two wheels. The cart is then harnessed to the pony who will pull it along their course. Riding Ponies are ridden by their dominants. Ponies can be walking on their feet or their hands an knees while their dominant sits upon them. A customised saddle may be used, or the pony can also be ridden bareback. In some cases, the pony is more comfortable with their dominant sitting atop their shoulders for the duration of the ride.
Rather than being focussed solely on the traditional idea of sex and what may be considered 'normal' sexual interaction, the sexual aspect of pony play focuses on relationship between a dominant and their submissive. The act of giving up control and being able to step out of day-to-day life can be extremely erotic for some people and allow them to feel more fulfilled than they may be from more vanilla sex.
That's not to say there is no sex involved in pony play. In some scenes, trainers may instruct their respective ponies to 'breed'. Some find the idea of being commanded to perform sexual acts arousing and stress-relieving, a theme that is common across a lot of sub interactions. While dressing as a pony is a defining part of the act of pony play, it can go a lot deeper than that. The purpose of pony play isn't as black and white as dressing in a saddle and bridle, it is centred around the treatment of the pony and their relationship with their dominant / rider / trainer. The mental state of the pony is always considered, and the act is very rarely performed with the purpose of creating any stress. This is where the soothing aspect of grooming the pony comes into play.
The dominant in a pony play relationship/scene act as the 'owner' of the pony. Often times there will be a grooming ritual before a scene where the dominant will prepare their pony similarly to how someone may prepare a bio horse for a race, ride, or performance. Many people find this act incredibly intimate and see it as a bonding aspect of pony play that can bring the dominant and submissive closer together. Beginner pony play kits and accessories are available for purchase on adulttoymegastore.
If you are thinking of engaging in BDSM play, or becoming part if a BDSM relationship, it is important to keep yourself and your partner(s) safe. Make sure you are comfortable in the company of whoever you will be performing a scene with or around. Set boundaries before the scene begins in order to ensure that everyone is comfortable with what is going to happen. Safe words are integral to a healthy BDSM scene or any BDSM activities. This is a word or phrase that is agreed on by participants before hand, and can be used to completely stop all activity in a scene for any reason.