1986:
Flutter Ponies
The Flutter Ponies were every parent's biggest nightmare - the toy which, almost as soon as a kid got to touch it, was potentially going to break at any moment.
 FLUTTER PONY WING |
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Here are examples of the wings and fixings - please note that the wing has been repaired and on a first year flutter there would be no break between the wing and the fixing (no 'tabs').
The vast majority of Flutter Ponies that appear on the second hand market are devoid of the pretty irridescent wings that made them almost like little, delicate insect ponies when they were first issued in stores. The shy heroines of My Little Pony, the Movie and it's sequel, the End of Flutter Valley, the Flutter Ponies (called Poneys-Libellules or Dragonfly Ponies in France) were miniature adult ponies with wings that "fluttered". Unfortunately, the wings were not strong at the base and so often snapped after too much eager "fluttering".
Hasbro obviously realised this fairly early on, as some first year Flutter Pony characters began to be sold with the wing holder style that was given to the second year release. However, the problem was not so easily cured and Flutter Ponies gave way in 1988 to Summer Wing Ponies - a line with a stronger and sturdier type of wing.
FLUTTER PONY BOX showing the first set of Flutter ponies
(Rosedust's box, UK, 1986)
The original set of six ponies were all pastel and, honestly, uninspiring. Rosedust and Morning Glory set themselves up as immediate favourites because of their significant roles in the Movie, but none of them made a huge impact in the comic save for Rosedust as the "Queen". They were also all produced on a floral theme - with equally uninteresting choices of symbols. A flutter pony characteristic -which would later be adopted by both the Summer and Windy Wing Ponies and the Twice as Fancy Ponies - was to have a small version of their symbol on their cheek or nose. This characteristic was repeated with the second set of Flutter Ponies also.
ROSEDUST and HONEYSUCKLE in the ARGOS CATALOGUE (1986)
They retailed in the UK for around £3.25 each.
Many people mistake Flutter Ponies without wings as "Baby Ponies" - but they were never meant to be that (despite one UK comic advert which talks about a crib for one of them in Paradise Estate!)
All the loose ponies pictured on these pages are from my
own collection and all feature genuine - not repro - flutter pony wings :)
