Once upon a Rainbow

Pony Arcobaleno



Pony Arcobaleno (Rainbow Ponies) were originally a set of six ponies - two per breed, and in Italy they were named after colours. This set includes: Bianco (Starshine) and Giallo (Skydancer), the pegasi, Viola (Windy) and Turchino (Moonstone), the unicorns, and two ponies called Rosa (Parasol) and Celeste (Sunlight).



There are many different variants of these ponies. Rosa and Bianco were re-issued later with a different pattern of colours in their mane and tail. Celeste exists with and without freckles (the latter being rarer) on her cheeks. As for Turchino, she was issued in two different posed, high-stepping (like her Hong Kong counterpart) and walking (Moondancer's pose). Curiously, Viola is only known in the walking pose.




Pony Arcobaleno #2

A new set of Rainbow ponies came out in Italy approximately in 1985. Their most noticeable feature is the different pattern of colours in their mane and tail. In Italy the set included: Confetto (Confetti), Trillo (Trickles), Pilla (Pinwheel), Stella (Starflower), Barnaba (Tickle), Michele (Flutterbye).