The My Little Pony Pony Friends characters weren’t your typical ponies; instead, they were a bunch of adorable animals designed to be the ponies’ pals. Each one had the signature brushable hair and unique symbols, just like the original ponies. These buddies added a fun twist to the My Little Pony universe, giving fans a whole new set of characters to love and collect.
The Pony Friends were released in three waves during the G1 My Little Pony era, with the first set coming out in 1986, the second in 1987, and the third in 1988. Each wave featured a mix of adorable non-pony animal companions, all designed in a way that fit the My Little Pony aesthetic—bright colors, brushable manes and tails, and cute little symbols.
First Wave (1986) - The Original Pony Friends
This wave (launched during Year 5 of My Little Pony) introduced six Pony Friends, all with fun, unique animal designs. They were sold individually and came with accessories like a comb and ribbon, just like the ponies. These were made only for one year, so they’re harder to find nowadays. They are:

My Little Pony Friends Zig Zag the Zebra (Vintage)
Zig Zag the Zebra stands out with her vibrant pink body adorned with bold turquoise stripes. Her mane and tail are a soft pink, complementing her overall look.
- Species: Zebra
- Body Color: Pink with turquoise stripes
- Hair Color: Pink
- Year Introduced: 1986

My Little Pony Friends Spunky the Camel (Vintage)
Spunky the Camel brought a touch of desert adventure to the collection. Spunky featured a light blue body with yellow triangular symbols, capturing the essence of a camel in a playful and approachable design.
- Species: Camel
- Body Color: Light blue with yellow symbols
- Hair Color: Lavender
- Year Introduced: 1986

My Little Pony Friends Creamsicle the Giraffe (Vintage)
Creamsicle the Giraffe features a pale yellow body adorned with pink spots, capturing the gentle and graceful essence of a giraffe in a whimsical design. Her mane and tail are a soft white.
- Species: Giraffe
- Body Color: Pale yellow with pink spots
- Hair Color: White
- Year Introduced: 1986

My Little Pony Friends Kingsley the Lion (Vintage)
Kingsley the Lion features a vibrant pink body with blue accents, capturing the majestic essence of a lion in a playful and approachable design. His mane and tail are a bright pink, adding to his bold appearance.
- Species: Lion
- Body Color: Pink with blue accents
- Hair Color: Pink
- Year Introduced: 1986
Second Wave (1987) - The Rarer Pony Friends
Hasbro brought back the concept in 1987, as part of Year 6, but this time with a fresh lineup of animal companions. These were also sold individually with similar accessories. Since these only appeared for a short time, they’re super rare today, making them highly collectible.

My Little Pony Friends Oakly the Moose (Vintage)
Oakly is a G1 Pony Friend, a unique subgroup of My Little Pony that features animal companions instead of traditional ponies. Unlike the usual equine figures, Oakly is a moose, making him a standout in the collection.
- Body Color: Pink
- Hair Color: Turquoise
- Symbol: Five blue oak leaves
- Eye Color: Peach

My Little Pony Friends Cutesaurus the Dinosaur (Vintage)
Cutesaurus is a G1 Pony Friend, a unique and playful addition to the My Little Pony world. Unlike traditional ponies, Cutesaurus is a dinosaur, making her a standout figure in the collection. She has a bright orange body.
- Body Color: Orange
- Hair Color: Chartreuse
- Symbol: Blue bones
- Eye Color: Green

My Little Pony Friends Edgar the Elephant (Vintage)
Edgar the Elephant is a G1 Pony Friend, a special companion introduced in the My Little Pony series. Unlike the traditional ponies, Edgar is an elephant, making him a unique and delightful addition to the collection.
- Body Color: Purple
- Hair Color: Orange
- Symbol: Blue peanuts
- Eye Color: Green

My Little Pony Friends Cha Cha the Llama (Vintage)
Cha Cha the Llama is a G1 Pony Friend, bringing a touch of South American charm to the My Little Pony universe. Unlike traditional ponies, she is a llama, making her a truly unique and playful addition to the collection.
- Body Color: Green
- Hair Color: Pink
- Symbol: Pink woolen hats
- Eye Color: Blue
The Third Wave of Pony Friends (1988-1989)
The last wave of My Little Pony Pony Friends was released as part of Hasbro’s MLP Year Seven.
Find Second-Hand Pony Friends
My Little Pony G1 Essentials
If you want to learn more about ponies and how to restore them, here are two resources that can help. The first is the unofficial MLP G1 guide (which has photos, prices, etc). The second is my own book, Restoring My Little Pony!
Restoring My Little Pony is the result of almost three years of restoring and customizing My Little Pony toys for my channel RetroGeek Crafts. The book contains 86 pages full of detailed step-by-step guides, project features, material and technique comparisons, and much more. The book is mostly focused on My Little Pony Generation 1 (MLP G1). However, these techniques can be applied to all other generations, including MLP G2, G3, G4, and even G5.
This unofficial MLP guide to the first generation of My Little Pony (known as G1) was created by Summer Hayes. The book provides everything a collector needs to identify G1 ponies and their accessories, and understand their value. The guide contains large, full color photos of every pony, playset and accessory released in the US (and in some cases in other countries) in the 1980s and 1990s.
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