Service to the Crown Day had come and past in my Equestria dreamscape, and life around Ponyville was settling down into its springtime routine.

This was especially true at Sweet Apple Acres where life rotates around the seasons; under the watchful eyes of the Apple family another crop of apples was beginning to grow. However there were other things besides apples that were growing.

AJ was the first notice it but soon Big Mac and Granny Smith could see it to; Applebloom was going through another one of her growth spurts. Fortunately the little filly had started this most recent bout of growth after Service to the Crown Day so Rarity had not been forced to make last minute alterations to her formal ball gown.

Along with growing in height, Applebloom was putting on more weight in the form of muscle. After putting the littlest of Apple family on the barn scale the rest of Apple family convened to AJ’s bedroom for a little meeting leaving the little filly waiting down in dining room.

Applebloom was sitting in one of the chairs at the dining room table. She knew something important was being discussed but she wished they’d finish it! She was getting bored just sitting here cooling her hoofs. Slowly she swung her rear legs back and forth cause her hoofs to knock against the legs of the chair. Finally the rest of the family came trotting down the stairs. She didn’t know why they were smiling but her big sister seemed to be very proud.

“Well sugar cube we’ve all give it a lot of thinking and we’ve all come to a decision!” Grinned AJ.

“Yes.” Said Applebloom. “And that would be?”

Granny Smith chimed in. “We’ve all decide that this year ya all will no longer be working with gathers this harvest year instead…”

“Ya mean I get to be one of the buckers this fall!” Exclaimed the little filly. “Really?”

“Darn tooting ya do!” Said AJ. “Yer big enough, and strong enough ta start bucking those trees yerself, and course you know what this means right?”

“That I can finally get my hoofs shod!” said the little filly.

“Eeyup!” Said Big Mac. “We’ll take ya over to Glowing Coals next week and get it done right, and since you’ll be helping with the bucking now we can hire one less bucker. Also since yer going to be helping more to raise bits for the family; we’ve all decided to increase yer weekly allowance!”

Applebloom jumped out of her chair and gave Big Mac a hug. “Thanks big brother! Thanks y’all! I’ve so looked forward ta this! Almost as much as getting my cutie mark!”

In earth pony society get one’s hoof shod for the first time is viewed as something of rite of passage; an acknowledgement of one’s maturing. In the old days only when one had gotten their hoofs shod were you finally viewed as truly being a financially contributing member of a community. Being shod meant you could truly pull heavy wagons and plows safely. Being shod meant one’s hoofs could withstand the forces needed to buck tree after tree during harvest. Being shod also meant one could as an earth pony join the army in defense of the kingdom.

Getting shod is not as big of a deal with unicorns, and some pegasi never get their hoofs shod, but for earth ponies your first shod was a cause for celebration. Almost as important as one’s cute-ceañera, over the next couple days Granny Smith slowly wrote invitation letters to all their neighbors, family and friends inviting them to attend the dinner that was be planned in honor of Applebloom. Applebloom even wrote Princess Celestia and Luna inviting them to, although realistically the little filly knew the Royal Sisters were too busy to attend, still it seemed like the right thing to do.

So along with her chores, homework from school, dream and astronomy training from Luna, Applebloom had a new thing consuming her time. What type of shoes to get?

To be continued.



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