Hasbro created a goldmine when they created the toys of My Little Pony. Around since 1983, the toys show no sign of a future decline in interest from America’s generations of little girls. A signature toy, the toys of My Little Pony are widely known, to the point that ‘My Little Pony’ is a household name.
My Little Pony toys are basically an animal version of Barbie dolls. Many girls comb Barbie’s hair and walk her around, socializing with Ken, etc., while other girls comb their My Little Pony’s hair and walk their ponies around, socializing with each other. Some girls do both! The appeal of the My Little Pony figures is, by no means, exclusive to horse-lovers. Actually, most horse-riding girls are not interested in My Little Pony toys because these ponies are nothing like the ponies that they themselves enjoy riding.
My Little Pony figures come in bright colors, with pink and purple bodies and hair. They are always smiling and their cotton-candy hair is always sleek and untangled. This is a far cry from the strong, large, brown bodies that young horse-riders groom at the barn. There is an irreconcilable difference between the real horses and the My Little Pony figurines. The figurines appeal to girls who have not fallen in love with real horses, or who have only fallen in love with horses in the abstract sense. Girls who have ridden, groomed, and fallen in love with a real, live horse seem immune to the appeal of the My Little Pony figurines.
Just like Barbie is an unrealistic woman, My Little Pony is an unrealistic horse. Thankfully for Hasbro and for Mattel, little girls seem to prefer the romanticized play versions of women and horses to the ‘real thing’.
