On a discussion on clop in ''Equestria Forums'', an online brony forum, users argued that cloppers are not attracted to real-life horses but rather to "humanized ponies", emphasizing that the characters are perceived as [[sapience|sapient]] beings with human-like qualities rather than as animals.{{cite journal |last=Ellis |first=Bill |title=What Bronies See When They Brohoof: Queering Animation on the Dark and Evil Internet |journal=Journal of American Folklore |volume=128 |issue=509 |pages=298–314 |year=2015 |publisher=[[American Folklore Society]] |doi=10.5406/jamerfolk.128.509.0298 }} One user noted:

On a discussion on clop in ''Equestria Forums'', an online brony forum, users argued that cloppers are not attracted to real-life horses but rather to "humanized ponies", emphasizing that the characters are perceived as [[sapience|sapient]] beings with human-like qualities rather than as animals.{{cite journal |last=Ellis |first=Bill |title=What Bronies See When They Brohoof: Queering Animation on the Dark and Evil Internet |journal=Journal of American Folklore |volume=128 |issue=509 |pages=298–314 |year=2015 |publisher=[[American Folklore Society]] |doi=10.5406/jamerfolk.128.509.0298 }} One user noted:

"Being attracted to [[Rainbow Dash]] is a lot different than being attracted to a fucking horse. I’m sure very few people are looking at mlp porn thinking 'oh my god oh my god oh my god i want to put my dick inside a horsssee' it’s more like 'oh my god Dashie you're so fucking sexy I am willing to look past the fact that you’re a horse.'"

"Being attracted to [[Rainbow Dash]] is a lot different than being attracted to a fucking horse. I'm sure very few people are looking at mlp porn thinking 'oh my god oh my god oh my god i want to put my dick inside a horsssee' it's more like 'oh my god Dashie you're so fucking sexy I am willing to look past the fact that you're a horse.'"

Another user from the same discussion supported this perspective, noting that characters like Rainbow Dash "are perceived as people at a mental level" and possess humanized features that differentiate them from actual animals.

Another user from the same discussion supported this perspective, noting that characters like Rainbow Dash "are perceived as people at a mental level" and possess humanized features that differentiate them from actual animals.