Dr. Hooves

Doctor Whooves is the fan-given name of a background Earth pony with an hourglass cutie mark. The name was eventually adopted by the show's crew. Hasbro acknowledged the character's popularity in the Comic Con 2011 promotional poster, where he is explicitly posed in a way that his cutie mark is clearly visible.

Depiction in the series
Doctor Whooves appears in the background in multiple episodes. His only speaking role as an Earth pony is when he rejects Apple Bloom's offer of buying apples in Call of the Cutie, and gets pressured into buying one in return for getting her to leave him alone. He was placed in the scene by storyboard artist Sabrina Alberghetti for his colors and design.

''"If I buy some apples, will you please leave me alone?"

- Doctor Whooves to Apple Bloom ''

He makes a somewhat prominent appearance in Green Isn't Your Color, carrying Photo Finish's palanquin together with Twilight Sky. In The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, he makes another somewhat prominent appearance where he is in charge of spinning the hourglass that starts up the competition between the Flim Flam brothers and the Apple family. During this scene he wears a green tie. He was intentionally placed into the scene by the storyboarding supervisor for the episode. Doctor Whooves later appears a few times in Hearts and Hooves Day. He is seen running past Apple Bloom and Scootaloo while accidentally splashing mud on them in the musical sequence. Reappears in Apple Bloom's imagination while running around in a panic. Also appears in three village shots. Once standing next to an unknown stallion and twice standing next to Derpy Hooves on the bridge.

Re-use of design and color
Doctor Whooves is usually seen as an adult Earth pony, but his character design and color scheme is sometimes used for other pony kinds, or for differently aged ponies; this can be interpretted as a nod to the ability of the Doctor (of Doctor Who, being the namesake of this pony) to regenerate into different incarnations as a survival mechanism. A Pegasus pony sharing his character model and color scheme features in Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow Dash switches numbers with him when she tries to delay her performance in the Best Young Flyer competition. The character is voiced differently than in its previous speaking role. His design is later used for a colt in Over a Barrel. At the end of the second episode of season one when Twilight talks to Princess Celestia, there are several ponies with Doctor Whooves's color scheme and design in the background.

Appearances
Times are approximate and taken from videos with no prolonged transition for commercial breaks.

Gallery

 * Doctor Whooves image gallery