This page is devoted to "the ponies that weren't." This page features various stages of My Little Pony prototypes from Generation 1 that did not make it to production. During G1 Hasbro seemed to pretty consistently change their mind after the prototype was made and all the related media produced, resulting in the ponies that were actually produced looking somewhat different than in the ads, in their pamphlets and on their backcards.

Blank Ponies

This section includes utterly blank ponies, ponies missing hair, and/or symbols, or any combination. Some blank ponies are totally unidentified, were as some are clearly prototypes of particular characters.

Blank Red Unicorn

Toys That Were Never Produced

Fancy Swirl Ponies (Celestial / Fairy Bright Ponies)

Fancy Swirl Ponies artwork by Allison Boiselle

Prototype Fancy Swirl pony at Pony Fair West

Only the concept art seems to have been produced but never the actual ponies. They are often referred to as the Celestial ponies, or Fairy Bright ponies, but Hasbro's trademarked name for the set was the Fancy Swirl ponies.

A prototype of a Fancy Swirl pony was on display at Pony Fair West 2022. She is made of resin which has been painted. Unlike the art for the set, she is a pegasus. She has the same symbol as the pink Fancy Swirl pony named "Starswirl" (lower right in the official art), but different hair and body colors. According to the original designer, the Pocket Pony poses would have been used for this set.

According to the official Fancy Swirl backcard, their names were:

"Starswirl" (Pink Pony)
"Mistyglow" (White Pony)
"Swirlabout" (Blue Pony)
"Pearlshine" (Purple Pony)

Current Licensed Merchandise

Skateboard Unicorn

Radical, dude!

This mysterious prototype unicorn was displayed at Pony Fair West 2022 along with the Fancy Swirl prototype and the Year 6 Princess pony prototypes. Her intended set is unknown.

Beddy Bye Eye Ponies

Baby Truly was included in a prototype set of the Beddy Bye Eye Baby Ponies (though shown NBBE...), along with Baby Shady in the Baby Cuddles Pose.

Pony Friends

Apparently we were supposed to get a whole set of human friends for the non-pony animal friends!

First Tooth Baby Sundance

screen shot from ad^[1]

Sweet Ice Delight Cottage

Irresistibles

Irresistibles were show in the 1991 Hasbro Toy Fair Catalog, though never produced. They were not going to be associated directly with My Little Pony, but they are in Dream Beauty molds.

Other Prototypes

Early Shy Pose pony

Prototype pony in Bow Tie Pose.

This early example of the "shy pose" is light blue with white hair, with darker blue speckles for her symbols. She is in the Bow Tie Pose.

This prototype lives at Hasbro. She comes out for the pony fairs and such. She is hand carved from a hard wax and hand painted.

Prototype Minty

Originally all six of the Collector Ponies were going to have the same symbol: appaloosa-style speckles. (Prototypes of Blossom and other ponies with the speckles can be seen in the earliest G1 toy commercial.) Here is a clear picture of prototype Minty with her speckled symbol.

Majesty

Prototype Majesty from the Dream Castle commercial

In the commercial for Dream Castle a prototype of Majesty has a symbol of six round-petaled flowers with yellow centers.

Sprinkles

Pamphlet shows sea ponies and prototype blue Sprinkles (far right)

Sprinkles was originally going to be blue with slightly darker blue symbols and hair.

CP Sundance

CP Prototype Sundance

Sundance in the Collector Pony pose. It's unclear if she is a true prototype, it's possible she's a very well-done custom made from a Birthflower pony base.

Twinkle Eyed Ponies

Masquerade in Whizzer's pose and prototype Whizzer in Masquerade's pose

Paradise

Promotional photos of the UK version of Paradise Estate show a not-So Soft version of Paradise. This version was never actually sold, with or without Paradise Estate.

So Soft Ponies

Twist's Backcard

On the backcards for Bouncy, Fifi, Hippity Hop, Scrumptious, Skippity Doo, and Twist, three of the six are featured as different pony types than their respective toy forms. Fifi is drawn as an earth pony rather than a unicorn. Hippity Hop appears as a unicorn instead of a pegasus, and Skippity Doo is shown as a pegasus as opposed to her earth pony toy form. This may have been the original plan for those three ponies, but it was different by the time of toy production.

It is interesting to note that Skippity Doo replaces Heart Throb, a pegasus, and Fifi replaces Cherries Jubilee, an earth pony, compared to the backcard art from the other 16 So Soft Ponies. Hippity Hop replaces Lickety-Split, but Lickety-Split is correctly depicted as an earth pony in the artwork.

Cloud Puff

darker colored Cloud Puff

Coco Berry

Pretty Beat

Prototype Pretty Beat as seen in an MLP pamphlet

Prototype Pretty Beat is blue instead of pink.

(Source: [1])

Birthday Pony

pamplet showing prototype birthday pony. MIB picture in bottom left corner.

The Birthday pony prototype was in the Posey Pose, and had yellow in her symbols.

Precious Pocket Ponies

Pamphlet showing the prototype Precious Pocket ponies. From left to right: Bunny Hop, Sweet Pocket, Bubblefish, and Li'l Pocket.

Li'l Pocket in the Posey Pose

Sweet Pocket in the Powder Pose.
Bunny Hop in the Quackers Pose.

Bubblefish in the Quackers Pose.

Dance 'n Prance Ponies

screen shot from German Commercial ^[2]

Princess Ponies

Princess Ponies with color variations in the accessories

Satin 'n Lace

Pamphlet showing prototype Satin 'n Lace.

In this mail order pamphlet Satin 'n Lace is shown in the Collectors Pose (although the pony is likely Cotton Candy standing in for the bride, based on hair and body color).

Dream Beauties

Prototype Birthday Baby Boy Ponies

Prototype Sunspot

Sparkle Baby Firefly

Sparkle Baby Firefly - no plug holes, no tail hole

Takara Ochame ponies

These are prototypes of the four Ochame ponies (translation: "playful ponies") from Takara's Osharena pony ("fashionable pony") line.

They were created to model the different hair styles (and in some cases different hair textures) the different ponies would have. A major difference from the retail versions is that these prototypes do not have eyes (which are a separate piece of plastic on Takara adults).

The papers they are shown with are documentation from Takara.

Prototype Ponies

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