If given a choice, why would anyone choose to be an Earth Pony?

I know that canonically, ponies have no choice over what type of pony they are. I’m not saying that Earth Ponies are bad. I’m just saying if you could choose, why would you choose an Earth Pony over one that can fly or use magic?

Well, as far as pegasi are concerned, if you were afraid of heights or flying in general you probably wouldn’t want to be one of them. And while unicorn sounds fun, odds are you aren’t going to be some kind of magical wunderkind like Twilight and would just have a little magic related to your special talent instead (which, depending on the talent, might not be anything all that impressive). With that in mind, greater strength and skill with plants might seem a better alternative.

Nah. I’d want to be a unicorn to manipulate objects easier, or a pegasus since they can use their wings like hands.

Being able to use magic does not mean one will be good at it, likewise, being able to fly does not mean one would be able to/be good at it. Plus, having wings means extra muscles to strain or bones to break, and having to work around wings when it comes to daily activities, same for horn really, that would be killer (literally) if you sleep with someone else, plus if you’re bad at magic, you could be downright dangerous to those around you. Earth ponies don’t have to worry about wings getting in the way, or potential magical disasters.
 
Despite all that, I’d probably be a Pegasus if I could choose, or a Unicorn, I would not pick Earth Pony, but that’s mainly as I’m used to dealing with handicaps.

@Flippydaman
 
Evolution (and genetics) states that as generations go on, the more desirable traits are carried over. Given how Earth Ponies are still around and haven’t been replaced entirely, instead seemingly being more numerous than the other races, that means there is an advantage to be had from it which cannot be gained otherwise. Now that we know alicorns can be born, though…
 
In meta/OC creation terms, because I didn’t feel like being yet another unicorn, or heaven forbid, a bat pony, the community’s equivalent of an invasive species.
 
(Pegasi and crossbreeds like hippogriffs are fine)

Personally, I’d pick pegasus. However, sometimes it’d be nice to be crazy strong. Also, you gotta realize that the vast majority of unicorns and pegasi can’t do what Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash do. While we’ve seen many earth ponies wield a great deal of strength. So… would you be a unicorn who can’t even get a jar open, or an earth pony who’s like “steel door? What steel door?”
 
@LightningBolt  
You are? How so?

@Phantom Rider  
Autism.

@Background Pony #0C18  
Would that make you choose to be an Earth Pony?

@Applejack007  
Yeah, unicorns have hands for practical purposes. Of course, later all ponies started to use hooves as hands, as if they had fingers.

@LightningBolt  
Well, that’s the thing. I don’t mean to say that Earth ponies are not important or not have their benefits, but not to the point that would make it more attractive than other types.

I think earth ponies are underrated in large part because the best earth pony is Fluttershy, a pegasus. That’s confusing and causes people to forget that, aside from her atypically prodigal level of earth pony ability, what we see as her abilities are almost exclusively earth pony abilities. They don’t just have strength and the ability to grow plants. They have strength, some have the ability to grow plants, and some the ability to communicate with animals. Aside from Fluttershy, pegasi (and unicorns) have little to no ability with plants or animals. Twilight has an owl (by the owl’s choice) and Rainbow Dash has a tortoise (by the tortoise’s loving persistence) but neither can really read their own pet the way Fluttershy can. And Rarity has a cat but it actually kind of hates her. Winona and Gummy on the other hoof are practically able to talk to Applejack and Pinkie Pie, even though it’s clear nopony else understands them (or likely even thinks Gummy is a sentient organism).
 
Being able to talk to animals, grow enough food to live on (and support your friends if needed), and perform significant physical feats with ease isn’t nothing. Aquaman may be the worst superhero, but at least he’s a superhero; and his powers (minus the ability to breathe underwater) are specifically earth pony powers. So I’d still probably go with pegasus myself if I wasn’t already a ferret (I just have to settle for being a pegasus by marriage), but earth pony is a much better choice than it’s usually perceived to be. I certainly wouldn’t be despondent if I became one.

@Poison Trail  
I didn’t mean to imply that Earth Ponies didn’t have their place.
 
The question is more like if YOU (not an OC, which you can always change or discard for another) had a choice, would you choose an Earth Pony? Would anyone?

I would choose to be an earth pony, I made my OC one for this reason.
 
I see earth ponies as the equestrian version of druids, it’s just so damn cool to me. A connection to the earth itself, and all its growing things just seems so amazing.

@cadenzaluna  
That’s pretty awesome, even if a rare option. But in your case, it totally makes sense.
 
My OC is also an Earth Pony, just because I’m much more into slice of life and blatant self-insert.

@Background Pony #0C18
 
I don’t know, Elsa? Iceman? lol

@Ferrotter  
Linkara on Aquaman  
Why Aquaman is Badass

 
Gosh, I wonder why…

Though I have yet to type it out, I have considered an earth pony explorer of sorts and architect, who studies the designs of others and seeks out the many cities or buildings that have been created.
 
For all intents an inventor, though one focus more on designing buildings them other ideas. I’d be more than happy to have them be an Earth Pony in as I could definitely see there being at least a few benefits of such and it even making sense.

@EquestrianScholar
 
Would that make you choose to be an Earth pony?

To overthrow the system.

Let’s be honest here: if the entire fandom was transferred overnight to Equestria and turned into their desired race, we’d end up with a shitton of unicorns, an above average amount of pegasus and most likely more damn bat ponies than earth ponies.
 
The argument I hear the most is “Why not go with wings and a horn, otherwise you’re missing out”, as if they were playing an RPG of sort and are trying to “game” the system into getting the most out of their choice. Earth ponies have the most potential out of all the races, we’re told they’re important, but we’re not shown enough as to understand just why they’re supposedly still around and necessary. That leaves room for further development into the race, the sort I’d have loved to have seen in recent seasons to counterweight the rise of the “Magical prodigy or GTFO” trend. Earth ponies in general keep things, well, grounded. I do believe it’s something the lore could definitely use more of.

@Flippydaman  
In large part yes, I feel such a character would appropriately be an earth pony.

@Poison Trail  
I think if that happened we’d get a metric buttload of alicorns followed by a few unis and pegs. Maybe one earth pony.
 
Needless to say, the universe would end within the week.

@Phantom Rider  
That’s being generous.