Might be a tiny stretch but knowing Ben Bates illustrated this comic, and who also does the Sonic the Hedgehog comics, I wonder if that is meant to be Sonic as a pony. The color scheme is right, as well as the spikey hair arrangement, and the ears are noticably sharper than any of the other ponies he draws in this, but matches the points on his Sonic work (seen here: http://bbates.com/wordpress/illustration/?album=9&gallery=37 )
not provided yet