My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, along with its movie and special, gave us ponies with disabilities, and even though they’re mostly physical ones, these characters proved to us that despite their disabilities, they can still do anything and even find unique ways of achieving it. Our first and most beloved disabled pony is Scootaloo, daughter of an adventurer couple and one of the three original Cutie Mark Crusaders. Her wings are underdeveloped, so she can’t fly. It is also shown that when she grows into a full-grown mare her wings will still remain unchanged. Despite this, Scootaloo has found other ways for using her wings if not for flight. Her most famous use is to propel her scooter through the streets of Ponyville and perform stunts with it!
 
At one point, before the Equestria Games, Scootaloo had doubts about participating, and became obsessed with her difficulties flying, feeling that it made her unqualified to represent the Pegasi of Ponyville in the flag-carrying ceremony for the Equestria Games. However Rainbow Dash told her that this was not as important as she thought and that, regardless of whether she’ll fly or not, she’s still special in her own way. Scootaloo was thus inspired to tow her two friends to the Crystal Empire using her wing-propelled scooter, and they were chosen to represent Ponyville as its flag carriers! She now knows that her worth is defined by her talents and not by what she cannot do.
 
Our next famous disabled pony is Fizzlepop Berrytwist, a Unicorn with a broken horn. However, like many ponies who lost a part of themselves, she went down a dark path to have it mended. She was once a bright-eyed filly growing up with her best friends Glitter Drops and Spring Rain. She dreamed of one day living in Canterlot and attending Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns with them. But one day, while the three friends practiced their magic with a ball, Glitter Drops and Spring Rain accidentally lost it in a dark cave. Fizzlepop, the bravest of the three, ventured into the cave to retrieve the ball, but was attacked by a belligerent ursa minor, which cleaved off the top half of her horn and gave her a scar over her right eye. With her horn broken, Fizzlepop’s magic became an uncontrollable energy that burns and disintegrates whatever it touches. Cast into self-exile, she traveled to the harsh, egotistical lands south of Equestria to find some way to have her horn fixed. It was there Fizzlepop’s life would really take her down a dark and stormy road. She encountered the Storm King, an evil overlord who became impressed with her skills and erratic magic. So he offered her a Faustian deal: he would restore her horn… if she would bring him any source of magical power that would make him the most powerful ruler in the world. Fizzlepop agreed, and made a new name for herself - Tempest Shadow! Donning the armor that all of the Storm King’s minion’s wore, she became his lieutenant and led the siege of Canterlot to capture the four Alicorn princesses, in order to fuel the Staff of Sarcanas, the object of power the Storm King wielded.
 
Her time in the south hardened Tempest’s heart and increased her strength and skills to overpower those who got in her way. Of course, Tempest found that her unstable magic could be useful at times, like electrocuting anycreature who got in her way and destroy vessels. But she would still not rest until her horn was repaired, and perhaps to punish the world for her tragic past. Even the Storm King had a sneaky feeling about her ulterior motive. It wasn’t until Tempest succeeded in capturing Princess Twilight Sparkle to have her magic stolen, was she betrayed her beastly superior, and then rescued by the pony she spent the entire day hunting down. Tempest then realized that, unlike the Storm King, friendship never betrayed her. And her new amity for Twilight gave her the courage to sacrifice herself and destroy the Storm King forever. Twilight welcomed Tempest Shadow - Fizzlepop Berrytwist again - back into Equestria as a friend once more. Not only that, but even though Fizzlepop’s horn would still be incomplete, she can still use her magic. Turns out her horn is REALLY good for making fireworks!
 
There are two other ponies with disabilities, and although they appeared only once in the series, they are also popular. First, there is Stellar Eclipse, a Pegasus stallion trader from Rainbow Falls. He gets around in a sort of wheelchair cart not so dissimilar to walkin wheels for dogs. It is most likely that he has spinal muscular atrophy type III (just like his VA). In spite of this condition, Stellar never lets that impede him. Plus, he has a pretty cool steampunk-stylized wheelcart. And then there is Kerfuffle, a Pegasus mare fashion designer from Hope Hollow. Like Fizzlepop, she lost a limb, particularly her left hind leg. However, she replaced it with a woodcarved prosthetic leg. Despite that, her real hindrance was that she was too self-conscious about putting her original works on display at her boutique, and instead used Rarity’s designs as inspiration for her own. This, unfortunately, became an additional reason for hopeless magic to cause Hope Hollow and its citizens to lose their colors. Fortunately, when the Mane Six came for the Rainbow Festival, Rarity took Kerfuffle on as an assistant designer for the event, and the Pegasus managed to create some dazzling festival accessories for Rarity and her friends to wear. With newfound hope in her abilities, Kefuffle’s colors were restored, just as every townponies’ hope and colored were returned with the Rainbow Festival. Hope Hollow definitely has the best fashion designer. And besides, even with a prosthetic limb, there’s nothing she can’t do.
 
Despite having underdeveloped wings, a broken horn, a genetic neuromuscular disease, or missing a leg, these four ponies have always found a way to get around despite their disabilities, and even discover new ways to use those disabilities to leave their mark and make the world a better place. Scootaloo and Fizzlepop both struggled with their conditions and became obssessed with them, whether giving up on being something they believed they were never meant to be or making poor decisions and making dark deals. But through the magic of making friends and by discovering that they are special in their own way, they are complete in more ways than one. And both Stellar Eclipse and Kerfuffle have found ways to adapt, and never let their disabilities hold them back. These four ponies are anything but weak and helpless. They are strong, creative, and unique. So let us have them remind us that despite our own disabilities, we should be proud. I have autistism, a neurodisability, but I have no total shame in it. It’s what makes me ME. So if any of you have disabilities, whether it’s physical, mental, or neurological, never be ashamed. Be proud!
 
 
This was quite a project. Besides Scootaloo and Fizzlepop Berrytwist, I had to make vectors of both Stellar Eclipse and Kerfuffle. Stellar was easier than Kerfuffle (that doesn’t mean he was easy altogether), and his walkin wheels were kind of fun. Despite appearing in only one episode, it was a good thing I found full-body screenshot references, as well as a screenshot reference of his head at a quarter angle. Kerfuffle, meanwhile, turned out to be the toughest character to work on. What kept me from making a vector of Rainbow Roadtrip characters was due to a combination of sparse references since it aired only once on TV while it’s still not available on DVD, streaming services, or on Amazon, and since the special is in style of the movie. However, there are some Brony vector artists who made very great Flash-style vectors of the Hope Hollow ponies, and I thought of turning to them for help. cheezedoodle96’s vector of Kerfuffle provided inspiration for mine. At first I almost considered doing a different pose, but since it took hours to make her, and I wanted to get this done as soon as this is the middle of the month, I stuck with it.
 
As for the background and title, they’re both based on two different disability pride flags; the background is based on this flag, and the colors in the title are based on the stripes from the flag designed by Ann Magill. It really works.
 
Happy Disability Pride Month!!!

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Lnx1ynight16
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Merdekan Embassy
I this as I have a disability myself. Everyone regardless of disability deserves respect.
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Background Pony #1E44
Has anyone else noticed that a majority of the disabled ponies are pegasi? I have no problem with that, just an observation.
@justus
@DarkyBoode32
You can headcanon that there’s a magic solution in the future, but current Scootaloo is disabled. In canon. And this isn’t really the place for future theories.
 
After “Growing Up is Hard to Do” first aired, there was a tweet from one of the staff confirming their obvious intent there:
 
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Though it included the line “Fans are welcome to interpret things how they like”. I interpret that to mean “We’re trying to have it both ways” (that is, satisfy both the fans who had held her up as a role model for people with disabilities and those who were hoping to see her eventually fly).
 
And throughout canon, we’ve seen a number of potential solutions that should be available to her now: a hang glider, Tank’s propeller, a prosthetic wing, two pedal-powered helicopters, and an earth pony whose aeronautical experiments landed him in the Wonderbolts. Even if there is no direct medical or magical remedy for her wings, there’s no excuse for her to be grounded for life.
 
I’ve always thought it would be cool to have Scootaloo apply her mechanical skills to prosthetics - start with getting herself a new pair of wings, move on to helping other creatures. Perhaps even service Kerfuffle’s equipment at some point. (No, that is not a double entendre, you perverts!)
 
 
@AndoAnimalia  
@Background Pony #6EDD
In spite of this condition, Stellar never lets that impede him.
 
He certainly doesn’t let it stop him from being a total jerk. “Oh, you busted your flanks getting that thing I said I wanted in exchange for the thing you desperately needed? Screw you, I don’t feel like trading anymore!”
Background Pony #B78B
@Minus  
Amen
Minus
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@justus  
@DarkyBoode32  
You can headcanon that there’s a magic solution in the future, but current Scootaloo is disabled. In canon. And this isn’t really the place for future theories.
 
Also the fact that with these characters, that several of them had me going “Wait, they’re disabled?” is nice. It really doesn’t end up being the main trait for these ponies and that’s good.
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I don’t think Scootaloo has a disability which is why she can’t fly like a lot of people do, I think she just hasn’t learned how to fly yet.
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IsraelYabuki
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Fluttershy's Husband
@AndoAnimalia  
Cool. I’m starting to like July a whole lot more. First, my birthday, now this?
 
And yes, I’m not ashamed of my aspergers. I’ve learned to co-exist with it. If anything, it’s sort of like a… hidden ability that’s been unlocked and gave me an edge.
@IsraelYabuki  
Yes it counts. I have autism, which is a neurological disability.
IsraelYabuki
Friendship, Art, and Magic (2020) -
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Fluttershy's Husband
uh, does mental disability count? Because that’s what I got
Background Pony #6EDD
@AndoAnimalia  
Except they were more they could have shown her to be disabled.  
They didn’t even do any actual jokes with his wings
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Icey1517
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Last I checked he and his girlfriend are still doing ok
@Background Pony #6EDD  
The good thing about cartoons like My Little Pony is that they have characters that contradict the laws of nature for humor sake while there are those who are restricted to it for some realism.
Background Pony #6EDD
@AndoAnimalia  
bulk biceps says hi
@DarkyBoode32  
You didn’t see her as an adult in Growing Up is Hard to Do and The Last Problem. Her wings were still underdeveloped. Even if she didn’t learn how to fly, they would still grow but wouldn’t be strong looking.
I don’t think Scootaloo has a disability which is why she can’t fly like a lot of people do, I think she just hasn’t learned how to fly yet.
Background Pony #6EDD
If only we knew what scootaloo’s disability was
Background Pony #5F8A
Stellar Eclipse… I’ve always missed that pony. Glad we got the chance seeing him in this image.
justus
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This is bat country!
Scootaloo isn’t disabled. She’s a late bloomer.
Background Pony #2EC8
disability pride
 
?
Johnny B. Mediocre
Office Culture - These water cooler conversations sure get heated around here.
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psst it's me I'm a horse
>Stellar Eclipse
 
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I wonder what that guy’s up to these days