spoiler What is your theory on how ponies hold things?

[Unity 332]

How do ponies in Equestria hold things?

I heard a popular theory that Pony fur is made out of a substance called something like Alicorn, that allows it to stick to things.

The problem with that though, is when Sunset Shimmer returned to Equestria she tried to pick something up with her hooves and failed.

This also asks the question, how would a non-Unicicorn pony pick something up laying flat on the ground, like Sunset tried to?

Spoiler

 

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by Unity

[DonMaguz 1,023]

That seems to be lack of practice, she's used to the incredibly easy to use human fingers afterall.

[MangoFoalix 24,961]

This is pretty much all I need to post to explain it.

[NavelColt 22,881]

Simple, pony hooves are flexible. They can squeeze into things, or curl around things to create a grip.

 

[Luna's Admirer 945]

4 hours ago, ~C. Discord~ said:

Simple, pony hooves are flexible. They can squeeze into things, or curl around things to create a grip.

 

Best answer so far.

[Wonderbolt Slipstream 263]

I guess they use tape?

[SkyPie 261]

When they aren't using their forelegs to walk or stand, I guess Earth ponies and pegasai press their hooves against the side of things and lift them up, when it's something without a handle. When it's a larger object, they curl their whole forelegs around it. Other than that, they use their mouths. For an object lying flat on the ground, a non unicorn would probably prop it up with their hoof and then pick it up with their mouths.

[NoOneInParticular 49]

My headcanon was always that it's a magic-driven ability that all ponies have (as it's canon that all ponies have some kind of inherent magic).

Magic flows through the body similarly to electrical current, so the bottom of the hoof has a higher concentration of magic than the rest of the body. The magic concentrated around the hoof allows a pony to hold things in a weak telekinetic grip (relative to unicorn magic, of course). To put it simply, this is functionally identical to fingers.

This "hoof-grip" can also be used to apply pressure to finer points on a surface. This is how ponies are able to play musical instruments that would normally require fingers, like guitars and pianos.

Going from this, each pony race has their own magical "focus point" where they can direct extra magic to perform unique abilities. For pegasi, it's their wings, which lets them fly and pull of extraordinary stunts (hence Sonic Rainboom). For unicorns, their horn lets them focus huge concentrations of magic and do all sorts of wild and wonderful things. Earth ponies don't have a secondary focus, so their hooves fill that role. This is why they tend to be better with the earth than the other two types.

Edited September 17, 2018 by NoOneInParticular

[Dabmanz 2,139]

Thousands of microscopic fingers.

[Sepul-Coloratura 762]

The only logical explanation is they are cartoon characters. It works just like how Pinkie Pie breaks physics.

Otherwise, you would come up with creepy ideas like mini tentacles or something if you try to apply reality to the show.

[starrymiss 114]

On 8/28/2018 at 10:55 PM, ~C. Discord~ said:

Simple, pony hooves are flexible. They can squeeze into things, or curl around things to create a grip.

 

Somehow, that image disturbs me. They're so.... squishy.