The My Little Pony Scrapbook: G1 in the UK and Europe

Rainbow Rider

Rainbow Curl Ponies, 1991

Lavender unicorn pony with fading pink, yellow, lavender and dark pink ringlets, pink, yellow, (purple) and aqua music stave with notes.

Rainbow Rider
Pony Data
Set Rainbow Curl Pony (1990-1)
Asst. Number 4626 (UK)
Accessories UK and Europe: Aqua shooting star comb and medium pinkish ribbon
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North America: Aqua shooting star brush and medium pinkish ribbon
Pose Fizzy
Distribution Probably worldwide
Other Versions  
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Ponies Sold in 1991 in the UK Merry-Go-Round Ponies | Glittering Sweetheart Sister Ponies | Tropical Ponies | Rainbow Curl Ponies | Sunshine Ponies | Drink & Wet Babies |Dance & Prance Ponies | Newborn Babies | Starlight Babies | Flower Ponies | Pony Bride | Prize Day with Rosette | Picnic Day with Sweet Clover | Playschool Babies | Schooltime Ponies | Schoolhouse | Club Newborn Baby Fun & Games | Show Stable II | PETITE PONIES (assorted sets)

Other 1991 Ponies Rockin' Beat Ponies (UK: 1992) | Glowing Magic/Glow & Show Ponies (UK: 1992) | Pocket Friends/Precious Pocket Ponies (UK: 1992) | Pretty Ponies | Rainbow Baby Ponies (UK: 1992) | Ballerina Baby Ponies (UK: 1992) | Teeny Weeny Ponies (UK: 1992) | Secret Surprise Ponies (UK: 1992) | Princess with Eyelashes | Firefly's Adventure | Baby "Stockings" | Rapunzel | Mommy and Baby Pony

Rainbow Rider


Rainbow Rider was the unicorn pony from the Rainbow Curl set, which was sold in North America in 1990 and arrived in the UK in 1991. She was the mascot for the whole of the 1991 release line, appearing on the card of most every pony sold in the UK and Europe in 1991, as well as on pony promotional booklets.
Rainbow Rider as mascot
Rainbow Rider on the UK insert for 1991

  Her symbol stretched across the length of her body as a music stave with a treble clef, along with notes.

Rainbow Rider MOC
Rainbow Rider Mint on European Card
German edition, 1991
Image from LunaCat

She came with a shooting star comb and ribbon in the UK release, and this was also correct for Europe as well. The North American release had a brush instead of a comb. She had a different name in the North American release.


Rainbow Rider's Character

Rainbow Rider and her friends were first introduced in the comic in a story called "Rainbow Magic." The four ponies met Caramel Crunch and Sugar Sweet, who found themselves on Rainbow Mountain. Rainbow Mountain was the home of the Rainbow Curl Ponies in the comics, where one of their favourite pastimes was said to be 'chasing rainbows'.

Rainbow Curl Ponies
The Rainbow Curl Ponies Appear
My Little Pony Comic, UK 1991
Rainbow Rider had various other comic appearances, including a story in which she and Rainbow Magic helped some bookworms who had been tricked by Wizard Wantall into eating the ponies' books. Seeing that the bookworms were sorry, at the end of the story she helped them turn into rainbow bookworms instead.

Although Rainbow Rider's symbol was a music stave, both her backcard story and her comic adventures usually involved her producing a magic rainbow by swishing her tail, on which she could travel from place to place. She and Rainbow Magic often headed off to the rescue together, travelling by rainbow to get there more quickly. Occasionally, Rainbow Rider was also accompanied by a small, elfish helper called "Rainbow Guider."

Rainbow Rider's Rainbow
Rainbow Rider's magic Rainbow
My Little Pony Comic, 1991

The American card story for this set is a collective story, which does not offer any clues or identifying features for their characters. It also talks about them 'getting their stripes'. It's not very inspiring, a bit like the names.