In ancient times, the Kelpie's lived much closer to the other pony tribes, hai8ng villages along rivers, lakes and ocean shorelines, were they would conduct trade. During these times, the Kelpie's were known to be skilled sailors, and often hired to transport ponies and goods across vast distances. But due to their more aggressive nature, and higher consumption of meat then other pony tribes, the Kelpie's were commonly vilified. Though it was without reason, as it wasn't uncommon for Kelpie's to turn to piracy as a means of living, and were often found among mercenary bands in which were known for their wanton violence.

Because of the Kelpies, many ponies avoided large bodies of water, fearing the destruction they could cause, such as floods and other disasters. It was also a common myth that some Kelpies could travel to the underworld through portals in the water, in which they could learn terrible magics which can only be learned from the dead themselves.

When the curse of the Wendigos fell onto the land of ponies, the Kelpie's were least bothered by it. Though they found themselves pushed out of the rivers and lakes they called home, they simply moved further out into the oceans. By the time the three tribes left and formed Equestria the Kelpie's were long gone, having already found a chain of mountain islands to call home. They would later be joined by the bicorns and bat ponies, in which the Kelpie's had an ancient pact with, where the three tribes would form a loosely stable island nation. From there, the Kelpies were relegated to myth and legends, and eventually, mostly forgotten.

During Equestria's age of exploration, the Kelpie's, Bicorns, and Batponies would be rediscovered, to Equestria's misfortune. Never forming a truly unified nation within their island chain, they would be a chaotic collection of thiefdoms called the Kingdoms of Paradise. Ever in flux between anarchy and tyranny, in which bitter rivalries ran deep. As vast wealth would be moved by sea, it would be common for rival nations to pay off the Kingdoms of Paradise to raid such ships. This was so common that any pony from the Kingdoms of Paradise would simply be known as a Privateer, in which they would hold as a badge of pride.

When the age of exploration came to an end, and Equestria returned to isolation, the Kelpie's would quickly be forgotten again, with the few who had migrated to Equestria being absorbed by the pony majorities.