LightningBolt 
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Senior Moderator
Undead inside
@mjangelvortex
Yes, but a dumb changeling most certainly would. :v
Yes, but a dumb changeling most certainly would. :v
Culture, Biology, and Dietary Headcanons
mjangelvortex 
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@LightningBolt
They would. I can only assume they get mocked by the hive and Chryssie gives them a punishment of some sort.
They would. I can only assume they get mocked by the hive and Chryssie gives them a punishment of some sort.
Background Pony #0700
For your consideration… love magic.
So I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the different types of magic present in Equestria, and Frustration in Excelsis’s comment from yesterday about love caught my attention because it ties into something I’ve been contemplating for a bit.
So I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the different types of magic present in Equestria, and Frustration in Excelsis’s comment from yesterday about love caught my attention because it ties into something I’ve been contemplating for a bit.
Similar thing with changelings and love. They don’t digest it, but need to be “saturated” with love energy for their biology to work.
This idea, that love magic is somehow a requirement for certain lifeforms to maintain their biological functions, actually has some canonical basis. Specifically, there’s a brief line in the season seven episode “To Change a Changeling” where Starlight reveals why the plants surrounding the changeling hive are coming back.
Starlight Glimmer: “But now that the changelings don’t feed on the love of everything around them, plants have started to grow back.”
And that got me thinking… love magic seems at once very powerful, and fairly elusive in the world of Equestria. There are some clear signs that Princess Cadance has the ability to use it, but as far back as her wedding episode there have also been indicators that it’s a pretty rare ability for her to have.
Twilight Sparkle: “How many unicorns can just spread love wherever they go? I only know of one!”
I feel it stands to reason that if there were other notable users of love magic in the world (or historically), Twilight would be one of the few who would know about it. Yet with the added information of it being something suffused in the living things of Equestria, it occurred to me that while active use of the variety Cadance can manage might be uncommon, there is one group of ponies who may be unconsciously using it all the time.
That is to say, what if the long contemplated magic of the earth ponies is actually love magic?
It makes a lot of sense when you consider it that way. Next to her family and closest friends, Applejack loves Sweet Apple Acres and every tree in it. Every day she pours love into it, and in doing so imparts the essence of life, biologically sustaining magic, into the trees and surrounding area.
But beyond that, there are other things that idea helps clarify as well. Potions, for instance. Any confusion over Zecora’s various magical elixirs (and their predominant use for growing and healing) make a lot more sense if every plant in Equestria contains some tiny essence of magical, life sustaining energy. And the use of love magic to grow might explain another, somewhat controversial issue… Twilight growing food.
Twilight, after all, is the element of magic, and I have long suspected her to be (as a result of that distinction) one of the few ponies who can harness most if not all of the varieties of magic that exist in Equestria. Given that she’s demonstrated some ability to use love before (albeit disastrously)…
… the idea that she may be one of the few active magic users who can grow plants is not that farfetched.
On a final note, there is another thing this idea explains, namely why love magic is so secretive, and why it might not be discussed as much as something ponies can learn. We’ve twice seen incidents where the magical powers of love (curious things that they are) have completely subsumed another pony’s way of thinking. Twilight only twisted love a little, and the result was obsession and madness. The CMC messed with love, and came within a hair of inextricably linking Big Mac and Cheerilee together to the exclusion of everything else they ever cared about. In short, messing with love magic is messing with the power it has over life itself, and a significant mistake could be devastating.
We were all wrong. This is the timeline where Cadance went evil.
That is to say, what if the long contemplated magic of the earth ponies is actually love magic?
It makes a lot of sense when you consider it that way. Next to her family and closest friends, Applejack loves Sweet Apple Acres and every tree in it. Every day she pours love into it, and in doing so imparts the essence of life, biologically sustaining magic, into the trees and surrounding area.
But beyond that, there are other things that idea helps clarify as well. Potions, for instance. Any confusion over Zecora’s various magical elixirs (and their predominant use for growing and healing) make a lot more sense if every plant in Equestria contains some tiny essence of magical, life sustaining energy. And the use of love magic to grow might explain another, somewhat controversial issue… Twilight growing food.
Twilight, after all, is the element of magic, and I have long suspected her to be (as a result of that distinction) one of the few ponies who can harness most if not all of the varieties of magic that exist in Equestria. Given that she’s demonstrated some ability to use love before (albeit disastrously)…
… the idea that she may be one of the few active magic users who can grow plants is not that farfetched.
On a final note, there is another thing this idea explains, namely why love magic is so secretive, and why it might not be discussed as much as something ponies can learn. We’ve twice seen incidents where the magical powers of love (curious things that they are) have completely subsumed another pony’s way of thinking. Twilight only twisted love a little, and the result was obsession and madness. The CMC messed with love, and came within a hair of inextricably linking Big Mac and Cheerilee together to the exclusion of everything else they ever cared about. In short, messing with love magic is messing with the power it has over life itself, and a significant mistake could be devastating.
We were all wrong. This is the timeline where Cadance went evil.
Frustration in Excelsis
Huh. You know, I had completely forgotten about that one line, but that’s a very interesting connection to make.
The idea of earth pony magic also working though a form of love magic is intriguing. It does make sense if we equate love magic with life magic, and hey – it’s common knowledge that living things thrive best when loved and taken care of. This is just taking it to its logical conclusion in a world where active love magic is a thing.
I also like the idea of Twilight’s Element giving her the ability to use magic beyond the unicorn kind, especially if she was unaware of it and everyone thought she was just a freakishly strong unicorn. It ties in well with her eventual alicornification, too – an alicorn is essentially a unicorn, a pegasus and an earth pony at the same time, and if Twilight already started out as a unicorn capable of harnessing pegasus and earth pony magic…
Worldbuilding Addict
Starlight Glimmer: “But now that the changelings don’t feed on the love of everything around them, plants have started to grow back.”
Huh. You know, I had completely forgotten about that one line, but that’s a very interesting connection to make.
The idea of earth pony magic also working though a form of love magic is intriguing. It does make sense if we equate love magic with life magic, and hey – it’s common knowledge that living things thrive best when loved and taken care of. This is just taking it to its logical conclusion in a world where active love magic is a thing.
I also like the idea of Twilight’s Element giving her the ability to use magic beyond the unicorn kind, especially if she was unaware of it and everyone thought she was just a freakishly strong unicorn. It ties in well with her eventual alicornification, too – an alicorn is essentially a unicorn, a pegasus and an earth pony at the same time, and if Twilight already started out as a unicorn capable of harnessing pegasus and earth pony magic…
mjangelvortex
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@Background Pony #722F
@Frustration in Excelsis
Faust did intend for Alicorns to have traits of the other three main pony races. And the love magic and Earth ponies having access to it to help the plants grow, help the earth, and help animals honestly makes a lot of sense.
@Frustration in Excelsis
Faust did intend for Alicorns to have traits of the other three main pony races. And the love magic and Earth ponies having access to it to help the plants grow, help the earth, and help animals honestly makes a lot of sense.
Ranch
Dragonball Girlfriends
Very interesting headcanon. I like. I like! lol could a changeling just turn into a tree in an orchard and get fed like that?
Background Pony #BE76
@Background Pony #722F
@Frustration in Excelsis
Faust did intend for Alicorns to have traits of the other three main pony races. And the love magic and Earth ponies having access to it to help the plants grow, help the earth, and help animals honestly makes a lot of sense.
For what it’s worth, that idea has appeared in some other mediums aside from the show. In fact one of the first chapter books written by (later show writer) G. M. Berrow, Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell, makes a comment about that very thing.
She was officially a part of a special breed of pony called an Alicorn. This meant that Twilight was now able to harness the magical powers of the Unicorns, the flight abilities of the Pegasi, and the strength of a good, true heart of an Earth Pony.
So even there we get the idea that Twilight has a greater range of access to magic than the average unicorn, and again we see that the power of the earth ponies resides in a “good heart”.
@Frustration in Excelsis
@Frustration in Excelsis
I also like the idea of Twilight’s Element giving her the ability to use magic beyond the unicorn kind, especially if she was unaware of it and everyone thought she was just a freakishly strong unicorn. It ties in well with her eventual alicornification, too – an alicorn is essentially a unicorn, a pegasus and an earth pony at the same time, and if Twilight already started out as a unicorn capable of harnessing pegasus and earth pony magic…
It’s really not that much of a stretch, when you think about it. Even ignoring her element, the show itself has never hesitated at suggesting Twilight’s range of abilities is somewhat unusual. Take this brief conversation from the season one episode “Boast Busters”, for instance.
Spike: “Twenty-five, Twilight. Twenty-five different kinds of tricks and counting. I thought unicorns were only supposed to have a little magic that matches their special talents!”Twilight Sparkle: “True, for ponies whose talents are for things like cooking or singing or math. But what if a unicorn’s special talent is magic?”Spike: “Like you, Twilight, and you know a ton of magic.”
Another point to remember is that of the distinct kinds of magic we have seen on the show, Twilight has demonstrated some ability to use almost all of them. There’s love magic…
… Alicorn magic…
… dark magic…
… and changeling magic, which I count as distinct because it wasn’t blocked by that magic absorbing rock at the changeling hive, and which I sort of count as usable by Twilight because she’s demonstrated the ability to transform herself and her friends before.
About the only one she hasn’t worked with is chaos magic…
… and I would blame that more on her personality than any potential lack of ability.
… Alicorn magic…
… dark magic…
… and changeling magic, which I count as distinct because it wasn’t blocked by that magic absorbing rock at the changeling hive, and which I sort of count as usable by Twilight because she’s demonstrated the ability to transform herself and her friends before.
About the only one she hasn’t worked with is chaos magic…
… and I would blame that more on her personality than any potential lack of ability.
mjangelvortex
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@Background Pony #7FCC
Glad to see that the other material references alicorns having traits of the main 3 pony races.
And you’re right about Twi’s experience with magic. She’s very gifted in it. As for the chaos magic, I’m wondering if it could be exclusive to Discord and other Draconequus.
Glad to see that the other material references alicorns having traits of the main 3 pony races.
And you’re right about Twi’s experience with magic. She’s very gifted in it. As for the chaos magic, I’m wondering if it could be exclusive to Discord and other Draconequus.
Background Pony #A59F
And you’re right about Twi’s experience with magic. She’s very gifted in it. As for the chaos magic, I’m wondering if it could be exclusive to Discord and other Draconequus.
I’ve been toying with the notion that the big problem Twilight would face with chaos magic is the issue of control. Because while it’s certainly true that type of magic responds to Discord, I keep wondering if it’s more a matter of it going along with what he wants to do, rather than something he can just make do what he wants. After all, the show has demonstrated (in the season seven episode “Discordant Harmony”) that being anything approaching normal literally causes Discord to lose his magic and start fading out of existence. That implies that the only means of holding and using the power of chaos is by always being chaotic, and that’s not a magical approach that I think the very rules oriented Twilight could manage with any degree of ease.
That said, I’m not sure if it’s a power exclusive to the draconequus species either. It honestly feels to me more like a personality thing… something that requires a certain fluidity of thought and flexibility of belief to use in any way. It’s one of the reasons I think that (oft maligned) IDW was correct in their own idea of what pony would be best suited to actually make use of chaos magic.
That said, I’m not sure if it’s a power exclusive to the draconequus species either. It honestly feels to me more like a personality thing… something that requires a certain fluidity of thought and flexibility of belief to use in any way. It’s one of the reasons I think that (oft maligned) IDW was correct in their own idea of what pony would be best suited to actually make use of chaos magic.
mjangelvortex
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@Background Pony #9CDF
Good point. A character’s personality could be at play for that kind of magic and Twilight’s need for control could hold her back from it.
Good point. A character’s personality could be at play for that kind of magic and Twilight’s need for control could hold her back from it.
Background Pony #F973
Drunk twi can do chaos magic.
mjangelvortex
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@Background Pony #4F61
Maybe. Being drunk does cause people to act differently sometimes.
Speaking of, anyone have any ideas for types of beverages the characters can drink (not just real drinks but fictional ones too)? Imagine the different possibilties for different magic drinks.
Maybe. Being drunk does cause people to act differently sometimes.
Speaking of, anyone have any ideas for types of beverages the characters can drink (not just real drinks but fictional ones too)? Imagine the different possibilties for different magic drinks.
Frustration in Excelsis
Worldbuilding Addict
@mjangelvortex
I suppose it depends on what you mean. Are we speaking about regular, commonly available drinks, or rarer stuff more along the lines of Zecora’s brews and potions?
If you’re talking about regular drinks, I’d assume alcohol would still be the most common. I would assume the Apples’ cider is at least mildly alcoholic – it’s one of those situations where I assume that there’s a difference between the, so to speak, “real” world behind the screen, the idea the writers had in mind to start with, and the final result as defined by time, money availability, medium and rating, so that different adaptations give different glimpses of the central idea because they’re under different limitations.
The point I’m getting at with all this is that the cider Applejack and her family produce is hard cider, but it’s not shown to be so in the cartoon because MLP:FiM is meant for a preteen audience.
As for magical beverages… I would assume at least some degree of alchemy is common throughout Equestria, if not as advanced as it might be in Zecora’s homeland. I remember reading in a fanfic, for instance (I can’t remember which), that Equestrian schools need to make sure that students don’t sneak performance-enhancing potions into exams, such as stuff that massively increases your brainpower, thinking speed and such for a period but comes with a massive crash afterwards.
In regards to more commonly available stuff, maybe there might be drinks meant to magically stimulate feelings of happiness, calmness, euphoria and other pleasant sensations? Depending on headcanon, this could be through stimulation of the production of the right brain chemicals, emotion magic of various sorts, or a mix of the two. Assuming a way to control or limit the effects, side-effects and possible issues with addiction, I could see the appeal of a drink that makes you feel happy as you drink it.
I suppose it depends on what you mean. Are we speaking about regular, commonly available drinks, or rarer stuff more along the lines of Zecora’s brews and potions?
If you’re talking about regular drinks, I’d assume alcohol would still be the most common. I would assume the Apples’ cider is at least mildly alcoholic – it’s one of those situations where I assume that there’s a difference between the, so to speak, “real” world behind the screen, the idea the writers had in mind to start with, and the final result as defined by time, money availability, medium and rating, so that different adaptations give different glimpses of the central idea because they’re under different limitations.
The point I’m getting at with all this is that the cider Applejack and her family produce is hard cider, but it’s not shown to be so in the cartoon because MLP:FiM is meant for a preteen audience.
As for magical beverages… I would assume at least some degree of alchemy is common throughout Equestria, if not as advanced as it might be in Zecora’s homeland. I remember reading in a fanfic, for instance (I can’t remember which), that Equestrian schools need to make sure that students don’t sneak performance-enhancing potions into exams, such as stuff that massively increases your brainpower, thinking speed and such for a period but comes with a massive crash afterwards.
In regards to more commonly available stuff, maybe there might be drinks meant to magically stimulate feelings of happiness, calmness, euphoria and other pleasant sensations? Depending on headcanon, this could be through stimulation of the production of the right brain chemicals, emotion magic of various sorts, or a mix of the two. Assuming a way to control or limit the effects, side-effects and possible issues with addiction, I could see the appeal of a drink that makes you feel happy as you drink it.
mjangelvortex
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@Frustration in Excelsis
I was refering to both. I really like the idea of those potions you brought up though. Never even thought of one that could boist brain power. It’s also nice that the fictional potions had some side effects to them akin to real alcohol and drugs. Plus it explains why a lot of the characters don’t regularly drink that kind of stuff. And it provides a crutch of sorts to prevent an OC from being OP if one were to have one that creates/drinks them follow that headcanon.
I was refering to both. I really like the idea of those potions you brought up though. Never even thought of one that could boist brain power. It’s also nice that the fictional potions had some side effects to them akin to real alcohol and drugs. Plus it explains why a lot of the characters don’t regularly drink that kind of stuff. And it provides a crutch of sorts to prevent an OC from being OP if one were to have one that creates/drinks them follow that headcanon.
MadVillain
Horses in the 🅱ack
Here’s a few I have.
Griffons’ main diet consist of corn, wheat, seed and grain, the husk of which they use to build their homes. They’ll also occasionally eat small rodents. Pretty much everything a traditional griffon raised in griffonstone eats is raw as griffon culture has a stigma against actually cooking meals and believe it wastes precious nutrients.
When a dragon eats gems the gems themselves have no actual nutritional value whatsoever. What a dragon actually feeds off of is wealth. Sorta like changelings and love, dragons consume the idea of wealth to gain energy. The more valuable something is the more energy it will provide to a dragon. This explains why dragons aren’t ever seen eating rocks, despite them having a similar chemical make-up to gems. It also explains why Spike was gathering a seemingly random assortment of items in Secret of my Excess, everything he stole had a large amount sentimental value to their owner, Scootaloo’s scooter for example.
Griffons’ main diet consist of corn, wheat, seed and grain, the husk of which they use to build their homes. They’ll also occasionally eat small rodents. Pretty much everything a traditional griffon raised in griffonstone eats is raw as griffon culture has a stigma against actually cooking meals and believe it wastes precious nutrients.
When a dragon eats gems the gems themselves have no actual nutritional value whatsoever. What a dragon actually feeds off of is wealth. Sorta like changelings and love, dragons consume the idea of wealth to gain energy. The more valuable something is the more energy it will provide to a dragon. This explains why dragons aren’t ever seen eating rocks, despite them having a similar chemical make-up to gems. It also explains why Spike was gathering a seemingly random assortment of items in Secret of my Excess, everything he stole had a large amount sentimental value to their owner, Scootaloo’s scooter for example.
Frustration in Excelsis
Worldbuilding Addict
@MadVillan
Interesting.
So would a dragons’ diet change depending on where it is, and on what the people surrounding it think is precious?
I mean, as an example – there have been times and places where people used things like salt and cowry shells as money and wealth storage, rather than using metals like gold and silver like we do today. I imagine that in this context, a dragon would find salt bars or a cowry shells (but not, say, conch shells or scallop shells) more nutritious than gold or gems, if that’s what’s considered valuable.
(This is not intended as criticism, for clarity – I’m just extrapolating off of what you were saying.)
Interesting.
So would a dragons’ diet change depending on where it is, and on what the people surrounding it think is precious?
I mean, as an example – there have been times and places where people used things like salt and cowry shells as money and wealth storage, rather than using metals like gold and silver like we do today. I imagine that in this context, a dragon would find salt bars or a cowry shells (but not, say, conch shells or scallop shells) more nutritious than gold or gems, if that’s what’s considered valuable.
(This is not intended as criticism, for clarity – I’m just extrapolating off of what you were saying.)
MadVillain
Horses in the 🅱ack
@Frustration in Excelsis
That’s pretty much it, dragons would have a kinda 6th sense to gauge how precious something is, and thus how much would it fill them up. Though it isn’t always pinpoint accurate, and some dragons may have preferences over others. For example if Salt was worth just as much or even more it’s weight in than gold at the time, a dragon still may prefer a gold nugget, over a salt crystal simply because they value the way gold looks more.
Spike in particular has a pretty messed up since of value. Thanks to Celestia and Twilight Spike has been feeding himself with some of the most valuable gems around for years, so subconsciously he’s started to inversely devalue them since they’ve always been in abundance to him. But a gem he actually helped gather himself with Rarity, regardless of it’s actual monetary value is worth a dozen of the gems he gets from Twilight, not to say he doesn’t value her or anything.
This is partly why dragons eating meat is actually a really complicated thing for them. Those who would kill indiscriminately to fill their stomachs wouldn’t value their prey’s life that much, but those that do value life would never partake in killing just to fill their stomach. It’s like a catch 22.
Edit: Now that I think about it though, there may be some exceptions to this, for example a dragon that eats a living pony/gripphon/buffalo sacrafice once every x years or something. Since then they’d hit sort of balance where it would even out.
Off topic but I just realized I don’t know the origin of the phrase catch 22, but say use it quite often.
That’s pretty much it, dragons would have a kinda 6th sense to gauge how precious something is, and thus how much would it fill them up. Though it isn’t always pinpoint accurate, and some dragons may have preferences over others. For example if Salt was worth just as much or even more it’s weight in than gold at the time, a dragon still may prefer a gold nugget, over a salt crystal simply because they value the way gold looks more.
Spike in particular has a pretty messed up since of value. Thanks to Celestia and Twilight Spike has been feeding himself with some of the most valuable gems around for years, so subconsciously he’s started to inversely devalue them since they’ve always been in abundance to him. But a gem he actually helped gather himself with Rarity, regardless of it’s actual monetary value is worth a dozen of the gems he gets from Twilight, not to say he doesn’t value her or anything.
This is partly why dragons eating meat is actually a really complicated thing for them. Those who would kill indiscriminately to fill their stomachs wouldn’t value their prey’s life that much, but those that do value life would never partake in killing just to fill their stomach. It’s like a catch 22.
Edit: Now that I think about it though, there may be some exceptions to this, for example a dragon that eats a living pony/gripphon/buffalo sacrafice once every x years or something. Since then they’d hit sort of balance where it would even out.
Off topic but I just realized I don’t know the origin of the phrase catch 22, but say use it quite often.
Frustration in Excelsis
Sure. Something you obtained by the sweat of your brow alongside someone you care about will mean more to you than something just handed to you on an everyday basis. Makes perfect sense.
Ah, like in the legends where a dragon would hold a city or country hostage in exchange for being given a maiden to devour ever so often.
||
Looked it up. It comes from the war novel Catch-22, specifically from a part where some soldiers are discussing how the only way to get out of certain dangerous missions is to be diagnosed with insanity… but trying to get oneself diagnosed as insane proves that one is lucid enough to be looking after their long-term interest and thus can only be called sane. The Catch-22 bit specifically comes from this quote:
Eventually, it came to describe any situation where you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
I don’t now where the number 22 comes in, though.||
Worldbuilding Addict
But a gem he actually helped gather himself with Rarity, regardless of it’s actual monetary value is worth a dozen of the gems he gets from Twilight, not to say he doesn’t value her or anything.
Sure. Something you obtained by the sweat of your brow alongside someone you care about will mean more to you than something just handed to you on an everyday basis. Makes perfect sense.
Edit: Now that I think about it though, there may be some exceptions to this, for example a dragon that eats a living pony/gripphon/buffalo sacrafice once every x years or something. Since then they’d hit sort of balance where it would even out.
Ah, like in the legends where a dragon would hold a city or country hostage in exchange for being given a maiden to devour ever so often.
||
Off topic but I just realized I don’t know the origin of the phrase catch 22, but say use it quite often.
Looked it up. It comes from the war novel Catch-22, specifically from a part where some soldiers are discussing how the only way to get out of certain dangerous missions is to be diagnosed with insanity… but trying to get oneself diagnosed as insane proves that one is lucid enough to be looking after their long-term interest and thus can only be called sane. The Catch-22 bit specifically comes from this quote:
“You mean there’s a catch?”“Sure there’s a catch,” Doc Daneeka replied. “Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn’t really crazy.”There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to, he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.
Eventually, it came to describe any situation where you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
I don’t now where the number 22 comes in, though.||
Wiimeiser 
(Foil Hat)
Ponies have both estrus and menstrual cycles.
They’re also venomous; their venom is made of theobromine and phazon and is injected through their fangs or retractable spurs on the hooves (unlike the platypus, females have the spurs too). Harkens back to the multicolored reason.
On that note, the teeth. They have the same incisors and (pre)molars as normal horses, but the canines differ. For the front canines, only the top two exist, and are extended into long fangs that often stick out of the mouth. The back canines (wolf teeth) always exist. The gap where the bridle goes doesn’t exist, as it’s where the muzzle was shortened (No evolutionary advantage, really)
They’re also venomous; their venom is made of theobromine and phazon and is injected through their fangs or retractable spurs on the hooves (unlike the platypus, females have the spurs too). Harkens back to the multicolored reason.
On that note, the teeth. They have the same incisors and (pre)molars as normal horses, but the canines differ. For the front canines, only the top two exist, and are extended into long fangs that often stick out of the mouth. The back canines (wolf teeth) always exist. The gap where the bridle goes doesn’t exist, as it’s where the muzzle was shortened (No evolutionary advantage, really)
Wiimeiser
(Foil Hat)
Ponies are tetrachromats, they have the same two cones that normal horses do, as well as an additional two, one sitting roughly at each end of the visible light spectrum, allowing limited access to infrared and ultraviolet. Though they can’t distinguish green and yellow and have limited ability to see red.
Puppysmiles has an amaranthine (UV) coat and pink (IR) eyes
Ponies have 69 chromosomes.
Puppysmiles has an amaranthine (UV) coat and pink (IR) eyes
Ponies have 69 chromosomes.
mjangelvortex
Lady of Ships and Birbs
@Wiimeiser
I prefer the idea of ponies having human like vision (their eyes are fairly human like and they don’t seem to have trouble with colors). But I’m not gonna lie, them being able to see infared and ultraviolet sounds pretty cool though.
I prefer the idea of ponies having human like vision (their eyes are fairly human like and they don’t seem to have trouble with colors). But I’m not gonna lie, them being able to see infared and ultraviolet sounds pretty cool though.
Wiimeiser
(Foil Hat)
@mjangelvortex
I tried to strike a balance while making things interesting. And how the eyes look isn’t really indicative of how many types of cones are in there.
I tried to strike a balance while making things interesting. And how the eyes look isn’t really indicative of how many types of cones are in there.
LightningBolt
Senior Moderator
Undead inside
I saw this screencap and got to thinking, the cloud in RD and the apple in AB that is.
What if ponies, all of them, have a sort of hidden inner secondary cutie mark, but it’s always there and part of their skeletal system and would only be seen in very specific circumstances like those. It’s not necessarily the same idea or design as their actual CM, but it may follow a similar vein.
I just know that whenever I vector a skeleton, I’m using this.
What if ponies, all of them, have a sort of hidden inner secondary cutie mark, but it’s always there and part of their skeletal system and would only be seen in very specific circumstances like those. It’s not necessarily the same idea or design as their actual CM, but it may follow a similar vein.
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