The My Little Pony Scrapbook: Baby Ponies (Year 3)

Early Baby Ponies in North America

The UK set of Play and Care Ponies (released in 1985) included two ponies from this set of six released in North America. Blossom and Cotton Candy were sold universally, but there were two baby pegasus ponies and two baby unicorn ponies included in the North American set that were not sold in the UK. These characters did appear in the UK comics in around 1985, but were probably on release in North America in 1984.

Each of the Baby Ponies in this set were miniature versions of adults that had been released in the previous year. They had subtle differences from the parents, such as paler hair colours or smaller symbols. Three new poses were introduced, one for each species. The baby earth ponies had freckles on the noses. The baby unicorns had streaks of colour, in keeping with adult unicorn conventions. Baby Surprise, Baby Firefly and the two earth babies had curly hair. The baby pegasus and unicorn ponies also had glittery symbols in the North American release.

Each baby was sold with a range of accessories which were designed for a new mother to take care of them, such as rattles, bottles, playpens, rockers, and such like.

Early Babies in Europe.

There are examples of this North American set being sold in places like the Netherlands in translated boxes, but with the same basic accessories as those in North America. There may well have been other imported ponies in parts of Europe as well, though it is hard to know exactly how far this release spread. The set are included on the Italian insert for 1987, so it is likely they were sold there in some format, although it is unclear with what accessories or in what packaging (Italy were known for having their own packaging style up until 1990).

Baby Ponies
Italian Insert, 1987

There are also several examples of baby ponies mint on card from this release. Sometimes these had glittery symbols (except the earth babies), and sometimes painted. These are known to have been sold in German speaking countries, as well as Nordic countries.

Baby-Ponys
German Insert, 1987

The appearance on the 1987 insert in Germany could provide an explanation for how carded ponies were sold in this area - but the fact that accessories are illustrated on the flier suggests that these were the full sets and not the carded versions. If correct, it seems that the Play and Care Set babies might have been sold in Germany in 1986, and then this set (originally sold in North America in 1985) were subsequently released there.

Baby Moondancer (Painted symbols, no Pat. Pend)
Europe, circa 1987

Although glitter can come off/be removed from the original babies' symbols, the painted symbol ponies tend to have no Pat Pend on their hooves, which makes them easier to identify. This is also an indication that they may have been sold later in the line. The fact that the same artwork from the insert is also on the card (English version pictured below), makes me inclined to believe the carded versions were sold in Germany (probably with painted symbols) in 1987, and the images have just been taken from the US packaging, rather than being indicative of pony accessories in this release.

Mint on Card Baby Moondancer
(Sold in some parts of Europe)

Versions of this card are known to exist with German, English and Danish text. While English carded versions were sold in Sweden and Norway, Denmark had several cards translated into Danish, and this set was one of them.

1984-5

Baby Ponies

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Early Baby Ponies in North America

Early Babies in Europe.

Baby Ponies (North America and some parts of Europe, 1984-6)