 Older fans of the show use the word " brony " , a portmanteau of the words " bro " and " pony " . Though this generally refers to male fans , the term is often applied to fans of either gender . Another term , " Pegasister " , has been used to refer to older female fans of the show . Two informal surveys of 2 @,@ 300 and 9 @,@ 000 participants respectively revealed that the average age of adult fans is around 21 , that approximately 86 % were male , and that 63 % were currently pursuing a college degree or higher qualification . A subsequent 2013 survey with over 21 @,@ 000 respondents showed similar numbers , and highlighted that the majority of fans were in the 15 @-@ 30 age range , with the average age between 19 and 20 , and over 65 % were heterosexual . Further , using the Jungian personality test , the survey revealed that the largest fraction of respondents ( approximately 27 % ) fell into the " INTJ " classification , which normally only occurs in 1 @-@ 3 % of the population , according to the surveyors . Many in the fandom who had difficulty in meeting others or being treated fairly by others found the fandom as a way to meet people with similar interests and become more social . Hub Network 's CEO and President Margaret Loesch , who was the executive producer of the 1980s and 1990s animated My Little Pony television shows , noted that there were male fans of those past shows , but there are considerable more for Friendship Is Magic due to the quality of the show and the influence of social media and the Internet . 
