Hearts and Hooves Day
"Hearts and Hooves Day" is the seventeenth episode of the second season of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and the forty-third episode of the series overall. It was written by Meghan McCarthy and directed by series director James Wootton. The episode first aired in the United States on February 11, 2012 on The Hub. The episode was viewed by an estimated audience of 316,000, and became the second-highest rated program to ever air on The Hub.
In this Valentine's Day-themed episode, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, composed of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, attempt to create a relationship between their schoolteacher Cheerilee and Apple Bloom's older brother Big McIntosh for Hearts and Hooves Day with a love potion. However, when they discover that their potion is actually a poison that causes Cheerilee and Big Mac to become overly obsessed with each other, they must find a way to reverse its effects.
Plot
The Cutie Mark Crusaders—Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle—discover that their teacher Cheerilee lacks a "very special somepony" to be with on Hearts and Hooves Day. They set off to seek a potential partner for her, eventually settling on Apple Bloom's older brother, Big McIntosh.They initially set up a romantic meeting between the two, using false pretenses to bring the two together, but this proves unsuccessful. The three happen across Twilight Sparkle, reading a book about Hearts and Hooves Day, including the recipe for a potion purportedly able to make a couple fall in love. Borrowing the book, the Crusaders create the potion, and again lure Cheerilee and Big McIntosh to a romantic setting. The older ponies drink the concoction, and magically fall in love with each other, forgetting about everything else beyond being with each other. Though initially pleased, the Crusaders realize this is not the desired result, and upon consulting the book, learn that the potion is actually a poison that caused Equestria to fall into chaos centuries ago when the prince and princess who drank it were too lovestruck to rule their kingdom. Fortunately, there is a remedy: the two love-struck ponies must be kept out of eyesight of each other for one hour to break the spell.
The three convince Cheerilee to look for a wedding dress and Big McIntosh to select a wedding jewel, forcing the two to separate. Sweetie Belle is able to barricade Cheerilee within the Carousel Boutique, but Apple Bloom and Scootaloo lose track of Big McIntosh at the jewelry store. As he races back toward the Boutique, Apple Bloom tries and fails to slow him down. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are able to dig a giant pit in Big McIntosh's path, but when he falls in, his cries alert Cheerilee to his presence, and she bursts out of the Boutique. The Crusaders attempt a final stand with only moments before the hour is up as Cheerilee jumps into the pit, knocking them aside. As they all recover, the Crusaders are relieved to find the spell has worn off, though Cheerilee and Big McIntosh question what has happened.
The Crusaders explain that the events that led up to this were because of their selfish meddling to make them fall in love with each other, and apologize for the ordeal. Cheerilee and Big MacIntosh accept their apology but punishes the trio by assigning them to do Big McIntosh's chores at Sweet Apple Acres for the day, and she and Big McIntosh walk off together with a teasing ambiguity about the state of their actual relationship.