Latecomer

To compare to a more local thing, it would be like asking "are Asians inherently smarter?". And I'm pretty sure that's been linked more to their heavily pro-education culture.

You know who sucks a lot worse? People who post stuff like that in threads like these.

Of course the follow-up question is, how many ponies would you realistically need to work that much land?

Because then she'd have peaked too young. I do think she is in the epilouge, it's just not made explicit.

I'll admit, I have my preferences regarding this - I got quite annoyed when the show introduced movie theatres and am glad they didn't go further. I agree regarding the general consensus of Equestria varying between the late 19th and early 20th century in tech, with some areas (like weapons) lagging and others more advanced. Since I try to write while immersing in the environment, it's actually quite important for me to bear in mind what technologies are established, new and unknown, since those shape and colour our lives. For instance, I see Ponyville only having obtained full indoor plumbing within our leads' lifetimes - definitely a contributor to Rarity's sense of the place as a hopeless backwater! On the other hand, I'm willing to explain away tech (those arcade games? Enchanted clockwork!) or just ignore it (what telephone?) if it has no real significance and feels out of place IMO.

At the start of the show?

As for my own take - it's a pretty standard one of the Manes being 19-24 at the start of the show. The question is "how close and what order" - within a few years would probablly make most sense, but my autism made me assign each one to a year. So I went in ascending order: Twilight (19-year-old genius), Rainbow (20-year-old prodigy), Pinkie Pie (21-year-old apprentice). Fluttershy (a year older than her, so 22) and AJ and Rarity being as toss-up for the top spots. I had the Rainboom (and therefor Spike's birth) about 11 years prior, with the CMC ranging from 12 (Apple Bloom, seen with markless AJ in Season 9 flashback) to 10. Starlight I'm not sure about.

So reverse engineering this theory... you were about 12 when you posted it?

Honestly, they're all kind of cool in their own way, so I can't pick? Earth ponies have something of the "everymare" or "underdog" effect, because they don't seem to have as cool or flashy powers. We humans don't either, so it makes them relatable and sympathetic - especially since we don't have to live together with more magically awesome races. And yet many earthponies are awesome too, in their own ways, and as a people they feed all of Equestria. It would have been nice if their tribal magic had been explored more instead of just hinted at, but subtle powers can still be important. And they seem to have some of the strongest famillial and communal bonds. Pegasi tap into an age-old dream, soaring freely in the sky (well, except Scootaloo) and exerting control over the weather we mere mortals have to just put up with. Their world among the clouds is probably the most fantastical part of Equestria, a realm for only them in the way the other tribes don't have. As a one-time warrior society, they retain a mix of bold passion and a strong sense of duty, embodied in a tradition of public service. The boldest mavericks and the most steadfast officials of Equestria likely spring from this tribe, along with as many other kinds of pony as there are kinds of weather. And being the "middle" tribe and dwelling at something of a remove, they can be somewhat overlooked... Unicorns' magic is very convenient - telekinesis would be so alone, but each unicorn also has access to magic based on their talent (even if we don't see this much) and that's before getting into great mages. But unicorns aren't just about magic - there's also art, fashion, music, scholarship and all other kinds of high culture. Not that all unicorns are rich or snobby, but although they walk on the ground like earthponies their heads are often lifted to the stars. I can see them as the origin of Equestria's greatest dreamers and visionaries, as well as it's most hidebound conservatives. Crystal ponies have been criminally overlooked - but on the other hand, this lets us form our own ideas around the little that we know. (I go for a society based heavily around empathic magic and positive emotions.) And of course, whatever culture they once had, there's also the "recent" tyrannical regime and thousand-year timeskip to add extra baggage. Bat ponies... probably don't exist. But if they did, they'd be pretty cool - natural dreamwalkers, perhaps? Same for real seaponies (sorry, hippogriffs, but ripoffs don't count). And last but certainly not least, alicorns. The living embodiments of the unity of the three tribes. Some prefer them to be rare and exclusive. Others see an all-alicorn Equestria as a goal to be aspired towards - although non-ponies tend to find that idea terrifying instead. They can spawn countless arguments, from their origins to their (im)mortality, but even if you don't like some of them, I think we can mainly agree the world of FIM is richer for having them.

Fave ships, eh? Well to start off, I've never been much sold in inter-Mane shipping, but lately I've developed quite a taste for TwiJack for some reason. I always liked CheesePie, and had a soft spot for Sparity. Student Counsel sold me on StarTrix, although I'm open to various combos with Sunburst as well. Most of the main Student ships can be pretty sweet, and we can't forget LyraBon! On the EQG side, I was rooting for Flashlight, but after she ditched him I switched to favouring Sunflash.

Well one has 1000+ years of mostly peace and happiness, while the other has a few decades at most? I don't think there's much reasonable grounds for comparison, especially given how little we know about their politics or leadership style.

Yes? Read my line. (Pony is one race.)

Well of course it is - it's purpose is to keep the cows out of the house. But what's that got to do with marrying other kinds of pony?

Now now - I wouldn't call a several-year process "instant".

And her being a unicorn was never even brought up at any point, which suggests such marriages are hardly new or revolutionary for Apples.