Bait

Bait is a term properly given to ponies who are damaged beyond reasonable repair, destined as the base material for custom ponies. The exact definition of what ponies are bait and which are better off restored will vary from person to person, and with the perceived value of the particular pony in question. Value is not purely monetary - a beloved childhood pony may be common, but have great sentimental value to the original owner. Notwithstanding, replacement cost and ease of repair will be the deciding factors for most ponies.

The term bait is often incorrectly applied by resellers to any pony who is not in mint condition, including those with minor, completely fixable flaws. Given that some of the earliest ponies are approaching thirty years old, finding a truly mint specimen is becoming increasingly difficult. Serious consideration should be taken before baiting any pony, as customization is rarely a reversible process.

Those seeking more information on the restoration of My Little Ponies are encouraged to check out the My Little Pony Preservation Project.

Restoration Recommended List

The ponies listed below are among the most sought after or rare. Restoration of these ponies is greatly encouraged over customization, as there are few enough to go around without diminishing the available supply through baiting.

• Mail Orders - See Mail Order Ponies. With the exception of Baby Stockings, Mail Order ponies tend to be rare.
• Most Foreign Ponies - see Nirvana

G3 Restoration Recommended

In addition to the following list, all birthflowers, charity ponies, and fair exclusives are rather sought after.

G4 Restoration Recommended

An easy and fast rule is that if it's not one of the Mane Six, you should be good to go, although there are a few sought after or hard to find releases of each of the mane six. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle are likely the most common out of the mane six itself.

Bait Grades

There are a broad spectrum of flaws associated with ponies, from the very minor and easily fixable, to severely damaging. In general the flaws that detract the most from a pony's visual appeal and are difficult or impossible to fix are the most likely to qualify a pony as bait. The more common the pony, the less likely restoration will be worthwhile with major flaws.

Easy Fixes

• Dirt
• Surface Marks
• Tangled/Messy Hair
• Tail Rust
• Surface Glue
• Noxious Odor
• Missing Tail
• Plasticizer Leeching
• Minor Mildew / Mold

Intermediate Fixes

• Frizzy/Damaged Hair
• Faded Hair
• Haircuts
• Major Mildew / Mold
• Minor Pen Marks
• Damaged Paint
• Yellowing
• Pindot
• Scrapes
• Deformed Legs/Body
• Minor Flocking Loss

Difficult Fixes

• Chew Marks/Plastic Damage
• Holes in Plastic / Gouges
• Broken Horns
• Missing ears
• Broken Mechanics
• Rusty Beddy Bye Eyes

Unfixable

• Missing Head or Body
• Severe Permanent Marker Damage
• Regrind
• Major flocking loss
• "Cancer" or age spots
• Symbol Rust

Ponies with Consistent Issues

The following is a compilation of specific ponies which commonly are found with a certain flaw. These are caused by the original manufacturing methods/materials or an inherent design issue with the pony itself. In general a pony without the listed flaw will be more desirable than one with it. Some ponies are almost impossible to find without their specific flaws. While almost any pony can present with any problem, these ponies consistently and regularly show up with these specific issues and are difficult to find without them.