2. Do you have a favorite figure?
i love all of my ponies but my two favourites are from my childhood; Moonstone, my first G1 pony, and Baby Cotton Candy, my first G1 baby pony! i couldn't take much of my G1 collection with me when i moved for university, but i always took Baby Cotton Candy, she's so beloved to me and i just love her little face and her freckles <3
13. Are you a brand loyalist, or do you just buy whatever horses you like?
i am very much an MLP loyalist! i have a couple of other misc pony-adjacent figures but MLP is my lifelong special interest and i've not collected another horse/pony centric toy line since i was a kid (pony in my pocket and filly toys were some other pony related ones i collected when i was younger).
14. What's your favorite thing about collecting?
i love a lot of things about collecting; restoration, preservation & archiving, the history of MLP, the sentimental attachments tied to each pony... but my favourite of all has to be the healing aspect to me. i didn't have the easiest childhood but MLP got me through it, and now that i'm out of the other side it's healing to repurchase ponies i used to own or buy new ones for my collection. it's like saying to my younger self "hey, look, we made it! and we have those ponies you always wanted." a little personal and maybe a little heavy, but that's the truth ^_^ !
thank you for the ask anon!