Let’s start at the genesis. The TV cartoon show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic begat bronies (adult fans). Bronies begat fan art. Pony fan art begat erotic pony fan art, known as “clop” (“fap” but with a hoof). Clop begat a myriad of horrifying subgenres – unbirthing ponies (climbing back inside the womb), feeder/feedee clop, etc… A fan art story then video called “Cupcakes” that shows Pinkie Pie chopping up Rainbow Dash Saw movie-style begat pony gore and cannibal fantasies ofpony vore.
A wholesome and cute version of “fluffy ponies” first appeared on Deviant Art in 2012, according to Know Your Meme. It’s unclear what transpired next, but the cute, nice fluffy ponies split off into something stomach churning that tugs at the deepest strands of the fibers of human morals.
I thought fluffies originated as abuse only.
More specifically than that, fluffy existence (abuse) seemed to be a direct counter response to brony spread.
I can only speak for my own point of view, but to me it seemed that bronies were posting too much in “non mlp friendly” places and annoying other internet users, then violent fluffy art became a bit popular because it “upset” the cloppers
Desert Storm back in the nineties. Bush Sr. wanted to be all big and tough. Then Bush Jr. thought he’d try again and it lasted fucking decades instead of months.