My Little Pony Toys – The History
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009My Little Pony toys, which were conceived by and are still made by Hasbro, have brought magical fun to millions of little girls worldwide over several decades. They are still around today bringing enjoyment to children and adult collectors alike.
These multi-coloured, pretty little pony toys have had a varied history over the years since they were conceived but their essential personalities remain the same, fun and friendly.
The first ponies to be released, known as the first generation, ran from 1983 to 1995 in Europe (1992 in US). There were six original ponies and these were all Earth ponies, unlike some of the later ponies that had wings or horns.
They had pastel-coloured bodies and a different colour tail and mane, each with individual symbols on their bodies. Each pony came with a comb to brush their soft manes and tails, and a ribbon.
The first generation of My Little Ponies inspired nearly a whole generation of little girls born in the 1970’s, growing up in the 80s. Those same little girls are now adults and they still love their Little Pony toys, which have become very collectable.
My Little Pony toys continued to be very popular with following generations of children but their looks changed over time, and other toys were released by different manufacturers to try to compete with them.
After the first Earth ponies were released there were Unicorns and Pegasus ponies as well. There were also baby ponies, which were made in all three variations.
The earlier baby ponies were like their “mothers” but smaller in size and in lighter colours. Later on baby ponies were made attributed more definite personalities of their own.
In 1997 in Europe (1999 in the US) My Little Pony as a brand was re-launched by Hasbro and experienced a massive resurgence in popularity. The new ponies that were released, the second generation, were made in totally new poses.
They were smaller in stature and slimmer than the first generation ponies, but they had longer legs, heads that turned and jewel eyes. They were mainly Earth ponies with a few unicorns but no Pegasus ponies, and just two baby ponies.
In 2003 the manufacture of Generation 2 ponies was halted and the next generation, the current generation, was released. Generation 3 includes some of the original generation ponies being re-released in different poses, but they all have shiny bodies with matte symbols on their sides.
From 2003 to 2005 only Earth ponies were released, then in 2005 Pegasus ponies were released, and in 2006 Unicorn ponies were released. In 2008 Hasbro narrowed its My Little Pony toys down to seven ponies and no new ponies will be released, although some older models will be re-released.
The whimsical, wonderful characters that are My Little Ponies will remain in the hearts of many people worldwide, and whatever happens to them in the future they will be loved by all the generations that they have inspired.
