headcanons

pony species

• earth ponies
  • they have their own kind of magic, although subtler than the other races
  • they are more likely to be talented in farming, healing, construction, and nature-related skills
  • they tend to be stronger than pegasi and unicorns
• pegasi
  • besides letting them walk on clouds, their magic helps keep them airborne, as their wings are not quite enough to lift their weight
  • they tend to be lighter and more athletic than other races
  • ancient pegasi had tufted ears and feathers at the end of their flank, right above their tail. those traits are more rare nowadays, but are still present in some pegasi
• unicorns
  • unicorn magic is the 'purest' form of magic, as they can twist and shape it to create spells
  • magical energy is stored in the brain and channeled through the horn. a broken horn is unable to properly channel the energy, and will either create bursts of raw magic or not work at all
  • horn prosthetics are simply pony-made magic channelers. they are not impossible to create, but can be expensive because the materials used need to be able to handle raw magical energy passing through them
  • ancient unicorns such as starswirl the bearded have curved horns, lion-like tails, and beards, no matter their gender. while some unicorns (and even non-unicorns) still have similar tails, it's incredibly rare to have a curved horn
  • 'unicorn beards' are still rare, but thanks to hormone therapy and the trans population increasing over the years, it's not uncommon to see femme unicorns with beards
  • however, the presence of a curved horn, classic tail, and beard in a cisgender or completely-transitioned female unicorn is a sign of powerful ancestry. the ability to grow a beard after years on female hormones, as well as the gradual curving of her horn, is what tipped rarity off that she was descended from starswirl the bearded