What did you think of MLP as a kid?

[Strawberry Swirl]

My dad and I are currently sitting around talking about a lot of stuff, but one of the topics has been ponies. Specifically, childhood ponies.

Now I know most of you guys grew up with G1 and let me tell you, I am extremely jealous. But I grew up with G2 and G3.
Sitting next to me are my 3 childhood ponies. Strawberry Swirl, Mcdonalds!Sparkleworks and Mcdonalds!G3!Pinkie Pie.

It made me wonder about how everybody thought of MLP when they were kids. I know that when I was in the first grade, I had to do an assignment
that involved talking about our fears. Since little Aura didn't think she was scared of anything, she decided to make something up related to her need to reject gender roles. So she put My Little Pony. (I still had the three listed above but I don't think I cared much anymore)

But what did you guys think? Did you love ponies, hate them, or have neutral feelings?

[Tap Dancer]

MLP and I are practically the same age, so they've always been around. I adored them then (in the 80s) and I adore them now.

[wurmund]

I remember when MLP first came out (Yes, I'm old) and my sisters went crazy for it. I played with their toys and watched the cartoon and movie with them but as a little boy in the 80s it wasn't really acceptable for me to say I liked it in my house. As we grew older my sisters moved on from MLP but I still enjoyed it and remember watching My Little Pony Tales in secret so as not to get tormented or beaten (yeah, had that kind of "dad"). After that, I moved onto other things and never really thought about MLP again until my wife started collecting Friendship is Magic toys and it rekindled my old love for it. Since then I have discovered Gen 3 and enjoy buying well loved ponies and restoring them for our collection. My son loves MLP very much and I encourage him to enjoy it without fear of ridicule. People ask me why I allow it or if he's a "sissy" and have had people warn me that it will "turn him gay" but I don't care. I want him to be who he is, enjoy what he wants and never worry about what people think about his passions.

[Strawberry Swirl]

I remember when MLP first came out (Yes, I'm old) and my sisters went crazy for it. I played with their toys and watched the cartoon and movie with them but as a little boy in the 80s it wasn't really acceptable for me to say I liked it in my house. As we grew older my sisters moved on from MLP but I still enjoyed it and remember watching My Little Pony Tales in secret so as not to get tormented or beaten (yeah, had that kind of "dad"). After that, I moved onto other things and never really thought about MLP again until my wife started collecting Friendship is Magic toys and it rekindled my old love for it. Since then I have discovered Gen 3 and enjoy buying well loved ponies and restoring them for our collection. My son loves MLP very much and I encourage him to enjoy it without fear of ridicule. People ask me why I allow it or if he's a "sissy" and have had people warn me that it will "turn him gay" but I don't care. I want him to be who he is, enjoy what he wants and never worry about what people think about his passions.

Wow, I really apologize for that and the fact that I can't voice my opinions on the matter.

I'm very lucky to have supportive parents.

[wurmund]

No problem. I turned out fine. Just had a problem in my life at the time that had to be gotten rid of. It all worked out in the end. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Right?

[Strawberry Swirl]

No problem. I turned out fine. Just had a problem in my life at the time that had to be gotten rid of. It all worked out in the end. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Right?

Yeah I suppose so. <3

[Galactica]

I'm 35 so I was there when it began- Love MLP as did my slightly older sister.  My mom said that she switched from SSC to MLP because they were like $2 or $3 or so dollars at Target vs. SSC which was $6 or $7.

I remember when MLP first came out (Yes, I'm old) and my sisters went crazy for it. I played with their toys and watched the cartoon and movie with them but as a little boy in the 80s it wasn't really acceptable for me to say I liked it in my house. As we grew older my sisters moved on from MLP but I still enjoyed it and remember watching My Little Pony Tales in secret so as not to get tormented or beaten (yeah, had that kind of "dad"). After that, I moved onto other things and never really thought about MLP again until my wife started collecting Friendship is Magic toys and it rekindled my old love for it. Since then I have discovered Gen 3 and enjoy buying well loved ponies and restoring them for our collection. My son loves MLP very much and I encourage him to enjoy it without fear of ridicule. People ask me why I allow it or if he's a "sissy" and have had people warn me that it will "turn him gay" but I don't care. I want him to be who he is, enjoy what he wants and never worry about what people think about his passions.

Your son has a great dad-  it stinks that so many boys from our generation (and plenty from today) get ridiculed for playing with "girls toys" and I really hope that is changing.

[Tenar]

I grew up with G1 MLP so my friends and I always played with our ponies together.

I think my experience is probably similar to many other little girls.  The ponies would have adventures together sometimes traveling to far away lands (i.e. the living room, back yard, etc.)  I grew up with older brothers I remember them being annoyed when my ponies would drive around in the G.I Joe Hovercraft.  I never saw a difference between their toys and mine but they might have.

When G4 became popular I pulled my old ponies from a box.  Some of them once belonged to my childhood friends and their initials are still on the feet.  That brought a lot of nostalgia.

[Shenanigans]

I loved MLP when I was little! They were my favorite toy and my favorite show My sister and I would would pretend to be ponies and we would play for hours I remember tossing a penny into a fountain when I was very little and wishing for all the ponies in the world - especially sea ponies

[snwbear24]

I absolutely loved playing with my ponies they were my favorite toys ever! I would watch the move almost everyday! My mom just told me a story the other day that she got rid of my perm shoppe because I played with it to much and she wanted me to play with barbies! UGH I hated barbies! My friends would want to play barbies and I always wanted to play with ponies!! haha needless to say I have obsessed every since I learned how to walk

[Bow Tie]

I think I loved it! I was born in May of '90, but most of my cousins were born in the 80's so I got their hand-me-downs so I consider myself an honorary 80's baby. I found pictures of me and my cousins playing with G1's. I also grew up with G2 and I loved playing with them too. I remember watching Firefly's Adventure on VHS and playing with ponies with my best friend back in Elementary School. I wonder if she will donate her ponies and playsets to me.

[BlackCurtains]

I had a whole 5 G1s as a kid in the 80s. I played with them sometimes but they were far from my favorite toy. I got into ponies completely by accident, and it was customs that brought me here. Collecting soon followed and now I can't imagine my life without ponies

[Tulips]

I guess I'm going to be the first (maybe only?) one to say this... I hated My Little Pony and avoided the 'pink aisle' like the plague! I was a bit of a tomboy, grew up with two older brothers who share my love of video games, and decided to reject everything remotely 'girly' with a passion.

Then I grew up and rediscovered My Little Pony through G4. I've matured and hold a great respect for MLP and this community, it's helped me through some tough times recently.
 

I remember when MLP first came out (Yes, I'm old) and my sisters went crazy for it. I played with their toys and watched the cartoon and movie with them but as a little boy in the 80s it wasn't really acceptable for me to say I liked it in my house. As we grew older my sisters moved on from MLP but I still enjoyed it and remember watching My Little Pony Tales in secret so as not to get tormented or beaten (yeah, had that kind of "dad"). After that, I moved onto other things and never really thought about MLP again until my wife started collecting Friendship is Magic toys and it rekindled my old love for it. Since then I have discovered Gen 3 and enjoy buying well loved ponies and restoring them for our collection. My son loves MLP very much and I encourage him to enjoy it without fear of ridicule. People ask me why I allow it or if he's a "sissy" and have had people warn me that it will "turn him gay" but I don't care. I want him to be who he is, enjoy what he wants and never worry about what people think about his passions.

I applaud you good sir, you sound like a wonderful father, the world needs more men like you!

[elvenwine26]

I thought ponies were super rad especially because my brother collected ninja turtles, toxic avengers, and a variety of other 80s/90s cartoon toys. G1 ponies were/are the perfect size for said "action figures" to ride so it made for a lot of awesomely, bizarre adventures.
Since I was never exposed to the cartoon, we just made our own stories.  That's the best kind of toys, the ones that encourage imaginative play.

[Mermaid]

I loved ponies the minuet I laid eyes on one! And have loved them ever since!