Interesting comparison! I wonder, maybe Hasbro "cloned" one of those iffy looking ones with the stubby front legs for their 25th anniversary release? (The ones that kept falling over because of the weight and lack of balance. I got rid of mine simply because of that.)
In the MLP "Toys That Made Us" episode, Hasbro explained that once someone suggested to move away from simple horse focused designs, the world of collectibility really opened up for the brand.