Background Pony #4D5E

I dislike when artists just default to making all earth ponies bigger and stronger; this puts all earth ponies in a box and takes away any accomplishments from an athlete pony as just a given if they are earth ponies(so was AJ cheating then during the Running of the Leaves since RD wasn't flying?) and as a stroke of divine luck if they are not earth pony (did Rarity luck her way into winning the physical contest with Sweetie Belle at the sisterhoove social?).