i am still not sure how she was able to read that book
most of it is just pictures

this was, indeed, the very first piece of pony content i ever saw.
i wasn't one of those people who hated on the show for months, then tried it out and loved it.
nope, i was just some random forum goer in a little corner of the internet during June 2011, in a small but peaceful forum community untouched by the Ponies.
then, i saw some guy post with a signature that said "where my bronies at?!". needless to say, something about those words caught my eye, so i sent him a PM.
he responded not with an explanation, but a link. a link to the first episode.
i was nervous, i mostly thought he sent an incorrect link on accident, but the opening story kept me watching against my will (i'm a slave to lore in shows and games). after a few episodes, i was hooked, and from there i saw the entire first season in a manner of days.
the rest is pretty much history.