@AC97  
Pets are the only liable option. Even if you don’t believe it, that’s how it’ll go regardless of hw you feel. Period.

@Azerdoe
 

 
“Any source of literature,” “always.”
 
…so not only is it supposedly universally true in fiction (which is a bold claim, even restricted to “literature”), but fiction (which by definition isn’t real) will reflect reality.
 
That’s absurd as an argument.
 

 
That’s incorrect in multiple ways.
 
Ponies are very much capable of racism and elitism, they’re capable of being disharmonious (otherwise the Windigos wouldn’t be a thing), they’re capable of producing sociopaths/psychopaths and narcissists, they’re capable of grasping warfare, and they’ve invented weapons, and magic capable of killing.
 
Even Fluttershy could be capable of being the type to “kill first, ask questions later,” under different circumstances, as per canon.
 
…and do I need to point out that humans are like, the only species on our world that ever feel bad about killing others, even those of another race, when they aren’t sapient, in some cases? Why would a lot of people seek to kill animals with the least possible amount of pain, if they don’t care about nonhuman feelings?
 
I know we’re capable of being very, very evil, but that’s a pretty thick one-color brush you’re using on both counts that doesn’t incorporate nuance.
 

 
_{[citation needed]}
 

 
So… there’d be no dissenters, no political factions pushing for equality, no shadowy factions trying to cooperate with the ponies by leveraging their abilities to gain power by force, in exchange for greater rights, because humans will all act homogeneously regarding intelligent beings that can talk to them, universally treat them as being subhuman pets instead of equals, guaranteed?
 
Does it sound like human nature, to all act in perfect lockstep harmony on a matter?
 
Which one sounds more believable?
 
You seem to be tunnel-visioning “pets” as the only possibility, out of fantasy.
 
In the real world, has slavery remained legal in each and every country? Have there been no wars fought over it? Yes, or no?
 
I can’t be certain, because it won’t happen, but strip me of all MLP knowledge, right now, and give me an intelligently speaking magical pony pet, and I have doubts I’d treat it as subhuman, and if not me, someone, somewhere wouldn’t do it, even if some would, because humans aren’t all the same, period.
 
_{I have my doubts someone like Starlight would be readily willing to be someone’s “pet,” and I doubt she’s all psychologically normal… and I’d pity the fool who’d try keeping Cozy Glow as a chess playing pet, for example.}
 
But hey, it’s not like either of us are getting concrete proof for this hypothetical, are we?

@Background Pony #00C8  
Ever heard the phrase “humanity first”? That’s what will happen regardless of their feelings. Read any source of literature where there’s another sapient race with intelligence equal to humans, they always end up as as slaves, enemies are a segregated nation that’s living in rundown slums in the middle of nowhere. As much as it would be nice to have Twilight as a school friend, she’d most likely end up dissected in some lab, killed in action or living in fear of humans who’ve enslaved her race. That’s just a simple fact. Humans are primal and savage by nature, very unlike ponies. And before you say Bro it’s won’t act like that, they encompass less than 1% of the entire populace of the world. Everyone else will not accept them on face value. Just speaking truth here.
 
That’s why the most likely scenario where neither side end up as enemies, is for them to be pets. That’s literally the only option that’s even remotely plausible.

@Azerdoe  
You might be content to have a sapient being as a pet, but would they be content being one? Would you settle for being simply someone’s pet with all the restrictions and limitations that come with that? I sure wouldn’t.

@AC97  
Nope, cause I’ve long stopped caring. Besides, I’m a realist and know they will be treated as pets over as equals cause if history has proven anything is that human nature will prevail over acceptance of anything different. But I admire your futile efforts of trying to convince me otherwise. You are free to believe what you want. Hope it helps you sleep at night. For me, I’m content with having one as a pet, if we can’t have them as equals in today’s society.

@Azerdoe
 
You’d think if they brought magic to the table, and other things, you’d get more mileage out of a more cooperative/diplomatic approach than “you’re all pets.”
 
It’d likely vary regarding what cultures/time period is involved, how they might handle it differently.
 
…you’re gonna double down again, aren’t you.

@WyrmSpawN  
Yes, regardless. Humans will always be number one even if ponies are intelligent enough for speech. So the only likely course of coexistence is them being pets.

@Azerdoe  
Regardless of all the ways they don’t act like animals?

@Westerlies  
Meh, pet ponies is how they’ll be treated regardless of your feelings cause humans will never accept animals as equal to them. That’s just a fact.

@Azerdoe  
Were I you, I wouldn’t treat Ponies as pets. They, well, should be equal to mankind since they are intelligent creatures too

@Setsugekka  
Makes me wish they were real so I could pet them. Honestly they’d be better pets than dogs or cats.

She’s really adorable <3

……..so freaking cute.