site event Hearts and Hooves Day - Best Pairings of 2025

[Dynamo Pad 11,953]

Hey, everyone!

This is your events lead Dynamo Pad, here to wish you all a Happy Valentine's/Hearts and Hooves Day!

Seeing that today is the day all about love, whether it's Romance friendship, or even family. There's always that one particular thing that's present in the spirit of the holidays!

And that particular something is...Shipping!

There are numerous ships in the world and generations of MLP! Whether it be canon to the show or even non canon ships. It's always sweet and fun to see characters interact and seeing their bonds grow stronger ever more!  

Even if there is no shipping between the two characters, it's always awesome to see how strong their friendship truly is.

Which is why I want to ask you, our lovely studio audience, to join in on the holiday fun!

Last year, we had everyone that participated to list your favorite ships from both the show and the fandom. However, I think it's time to ask that question again, but with a twist.

"What is the best pairing of Hearts and Hooves Day 2025?"

And!

"What is the best friendship paring of Hearts and Hooves Day 2025?"

That's right, everyone! Instead of just shipping, I thought it'd be extra fun to add everyone's favorite friendships from both the canon and fandom universe of MLP!  

As for wondering about both of these questions, I'm really glad that you asked, dear user!

In this thread, you can submit two ships. One that's for shipping and one that's for friendship! It can be either canon or non canon that stands out to you as your favorites. After a week has passed, we'll collect all of the ships and place them on a voting poll for everyone to cast their votes!  

Once voting is fully complete, the top winner's of both Shipping and Friendship will receive a badge!

However, only one ship and friendship per person. If there is a ship, be it shipping or friendship that has already been said, then it means that there is more of an opportunity to place more pairings!

If you wish to use an OC, then please make sure that you have the owner's permission to use their OC. 

Never forget to have fun and that there's no right or wrong in the ships and friendships of your choice. As a ship will always be a ship and like I always love to say...

I SHIP IT!!!!

In fact, I'd like to join in on the festivities, as well! For that, I will leave you a ship and friendship that can rival that of all other pairings!

That ship shall be...

Shipping: Bright Mac and Pear Butter

Friendship: Starlight and Phyllis

How about you? What is a ship and friendship that you consider to be your favorite?

Once again, Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, everyone! Have fun casting your ships and friendships!

[Sparklefan1234 187,062]

 

42 minutes ago, Dynamo Pad said:

What is a ship  you consider to be your favorite?

 

Favorite Ship? Rarijack 

42 minutes ago, Dynamo Pad said:

What is a friendship that you consider to be your favorite?

 

My friendship with my Bestie, @Ice Princess Silky <3 is my favorite on MLP Forums. 

 

Edited February 14 by Sparklefan1234

[ZiggWheelsManning 15,953]

@Sparklefan1234

Rarijack is also one of my favorite ships.  

[Snow 9,016]

Goth Fluttershy and Inky Rose ever since it got brought to my attention by one of PrinceWhateverer's recent releases, I ship it big time.
Though there is next to no fanart I can find for said ship. 



As for something a little more friendly, Twilight and Celestia, what a lovely bond they share.

[Snoopy Fan 14,896]

Favorite Ship: Sunset and Fluttershy

Favorite Friendship: Sunset and Starlight

[ZiggWheelsManning 15,953]

@Snow

Human versions of Goth Fluttershy and Inky Rose also work.  

[Snow 9,016]

Oi @Samurai Equine Get in here Mr Shipper man

Gonna mention Trixie X Starlight as well they are just perfect. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,953]

I see that we have a number of ships already!

However, on top of my ship and friendship pairings, I want to add a fun joke ship!

As for what that ship would be, I have just the one!

Wouldn't it be funny if we shipped @Ice Princess Silky <3 with @Luna the Great of all the Russias because she doesn't let him read?

Spoiler

 

[AVagrant 1,741]

We need some Hearts&Hooves Day special banner next year!

FlutterDash Best Match! Wings Pair Sky Love, Childhood Best Friend! Friendshipping!

 

Art by CaiBaoreturn

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/294338/never-grow-apart

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/104672/fluttershy-the-cheerleader

Edited February 15 by Bairro M Vagrant
Fictions!

[Crypty Scribbles 6,775]

35 minutes ago, Snow said:

Oi @Samurai Equine Get in here Mr Shipper man

Gonna mention Trixie X Starlight as well they are just perfect. 

Oh yeah! My favorite villains! >:3

Also Fluttercord. I can't say it's my favorite but this peculiar bond makes me think A LOT!

Edited February 15 by Crypty Scribbles

[Ganondorf8 11,782]

I'm going to be honest... I'm not a fan of shipping anymore. I used to be back during the heyday of Digimon, but things ended up going out of control resulting in unnecessary problems. If the ship in question is not an official one as designated by the creators/producers/whoever, I can't see myself putting any weight behind it. I do enjoy seeing others go all-out with their ideal ships though. No sense in me denying others what they desire.

[Felis Amafeles 2,759]

Sunny Starscout and Izzy Moonbow...?

Edited February 15 by Felis Amafeles

[Silverspark184 1,446]

I vote Silky and Luna the greatest of Russia for shipping 

[abronymouse 6,156]

it's gotta be Pear Butter and Bright Mac 

Best friend ship is too HARD!

TOOO HARD I TELL THEEEEEEEE

I mean it's gotta be Pinkie, because she's my fave :3

But who most gets that mare...

tough

hmm. oh!

Pinkie and Maud :3 best sibling-friends 4ever

7 hours ago, Felis Amafeles said:

Sunny Starscout and Izzy Moonbow...?

Ohh, yes those two (and I love that song)

9 hours ago, Snoopy Fan said:

Favorite Ship: Sunset and Fluttershy

aw, yes Sunset the former mean girl friending Flutters is <3

Edited February 15 by abronymouse

[Samurai Equine 57,823]

10 hours ago, Snow said:

Oi @Samurai Equine Get in here Mr Shipper man

Gonna mention Trixie X Starlight as well they are just perfect. 

...

Oh, me?  Well, if you must know some of my favorite romantic ships...

Sunset Shimmer x Human Pinkie Pie
Starlight x Trixie
Octavia x Vinyl
Lyra x Bonbon
Mr. & Mrs. Cake
Cranky x Matilda
Bright Mac x Pear Butter
Human Twilight (Sci-Twi?) x Timber Spruce
Princess Twilight x Flash Sentry
Human Fluttershy x Human Rainbow Dash
Human Rarity x Human Applejack
Rainbow Dash x Applejack
Pinkie Pie x Cheese Sandwhich
Big Mac x Sugar Belle
Princess Cadance x Shining Armor
Secret ship that only I know about

...Am I forgetting any canon or heavily implied ships? 
Oh, might as well give some attention to G5...

Sunny x Hitch

I like my ships. I can be a bit of a hopeless romantic sometimes. 
 

9 hours ago, Dynamo Pad said:

I see that we have a number of ships already!

However, on top of my ship and friendship pairings, I want to add a fun joke ship!

As for what that ship would be, I have just the one!

Wouldn't it be funny if we shipped @Ice Princess Silky <3 with @Luna the Great of all the Russias because she doesn't let him read?

  Reveal hidden contents

 

6 hours ago, Silverspark184 said:

I vote Silky and Luna the greatest of Russia for shipping 

 

No, you two! Absolutely not! It is forbidden. Don't let them see these posts. 

 

9 hours ago, Ganondorf8 said:

I'm going to be honest... I'm not a fan of shipping anymore. I used to be back during the heyday of Digimon, but things ended up going out of control resulting in unnecessary problems. If the ship in question is not an official one as designated by the creators/producers/whoever, I can't see myself putting any weight behind it. I do enjoy seeing others go all-out with their ideal ships though. No sense in me denying others what they desire.

 

I mean, I sort of get where you're coming from. 
I'm still a fan of shipping, very much so. Helpless romantic. But at the same time, I just can't ship randomly for the sake of shipping. I've seen some bizarre shippings that come out of nowhere, appealing to almost no one with how random and out-there they can be. It's like they invented ships that just shouldn't be possible.
No, I just can't do it. There has to be something more there for me to support it.
As a baseline, I support canon ships. I never want to go outside what the original author(s) intended. If I reject canon, I'd just be making myself eternally upset for no reason. I'd rather support what is canon OR what is heavily implied as canon. And if I ever go outside that, then there is always a good reason. Characters having chemistry that leads to flirting, certain ways they talk or interact with each other that's interestingly different from how they interact with anyone else, characters that have a strong history or a very special bond, etc. Doesn't mean I support ever ship where such chemistry is evident, but the point remains. There has to be something there for me to enjoy or support it.

[Tao 9,816]

Main Cannon:

Are Big Mac/Sugar Belle:  Big Mac was always a side charart that I was happy we got more to know him and see him grow in his own right as MLP went on.   Sugar Belle also got her moments to shine brought a good side of growth from  Starlight's village to show it had grown and change.   So seeing these get to together and marry was just a good ending for both of them.

 

Fluttershy/Discord: Now, you can ship as romance or a deep, understanding, soul connection with these two. I have a friend who I have a deep soul connection with like Flutter/Discord myself, and can understand how it can feel to have that one person who gets you when no one else in the one world does.  

 

Starlight/Maude Pie: If anything, it's just the level of friendship and understanding I admire these two for. One simple action of understanding has created a lifelong bond, and you don't even have to speak to understand the person or soul next to you.

 

Fan-Ships:

 

Twilight/Luna:  Somehow I could always see these two getting more to be their friend.  Both not fit into the world but yet find a keen understanding of the other over time....

 

Starlight/Big Mac:   I feel like Mac's non-judgmental attitude and patience would have been a good thing for Starlight and when she was just making friends,  he might have turned out to be a good "first" friend.   Yet Mac also would have called her out on the things she needed to hear when using magic and etc.   Starlight's more going out on limp or needing to push herself might have got Mac to step out of his zone a bit more too.

 

Prince BlueBlood/Derpy:   My one oddball pairing I LOVED from a few fanfics.......

 

[Silly Druid 8,308]

Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon, based on their interaction in Elements of Justice.

[Ganondorf8 11,782]

12 hours ago, Samurai Equine said:

I mean, I sort of get where you're coming from. 

Like I said, I used to be a fan of shipping. The problem is that some people take it too far and it causes misery for everyone else. Back in the heyday of Digimon, I used to frequent a popular fansite, but when shipping went out of control in addition to other issues, there was a massive crackdown which had to be done. Shipping can be fun and I've respect for those who engage in it. It's just not for me anymore because of past issues.

Official ships on the other hand... I've no issue with those as they were intended.

[Octavia Scratch 710]

In case you haven't noticed, Octavia and Vinyl are my fave ship

[ZiggWheelsManning 15,953]

@Octavia Scratch

I'm gonna play the best music for this ship!  Except I can't find the music  

[ComanderZhabikKlavik 5,336]

Fluttershy and Discord.

Derpy and Dr. Hooves

Octavia and Vinyl

Lyra and Bon Bon

Starlight and Trixie

[ComanderZhabikKlavik 5,336]

I completely forgot about another ship Celestia and cakes!

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

Edited February 16 by ComanderZhabikKlavik

[Astralshy 30,829]

Never been so big in shipping .. but here we go

Best ship: @Ice Princess Silky <3 x @Luna the Great of all the Russias

Best friends: @Cash In x @Pinkie Pie

[Sophie 1,769]

4 hours ago, Astralshy said:

Never been so big in shipping .. but here we go

Best ship: @Ice Princess Silky <3 x @Luna the Great of all the Russias

Best friends: @Cash In x @Pinkie Pie

Yes.

[Pinkie Pie 725]

I approve on the shipping of @Ice Princess Silky <3 and @Luna the Great of all the Russias

I'm also coming for my best ever friend @Cash In

I will make you the best chocolate milk drink