What would you do?

[Shy Violet]

My pony room is a work in progress and bursting with other 80's toys. My ponies have also been in storage for a loooong time and I find lots at thrift stores so most of my ponies need a spa day. So I think we would be having a huge spa day for all the ponies that I haven't had time to clean yet and then organize my shelves. 

[Shaz]

I think when it comes to letting kids play with your ponies, it depends what sort of kids you know! I like to think I was quite careful with toys when I was little, about the worst thing that would happen to them is that they would start to look a bit messy from being carried around everywhere; but I've seen enough second-hand toys to know that some kids play quite roughly. I don't know any children personally; if I did, I might let them play ponies if they were the careful sort of children. If not, I'd probably get some toys specially for them and not let them look at the pony collection so they wouldn't feel they were missing out! When I was little, one of the most annoying things was being shown cool toys and then told 'they're collector's items, you can't play with them'. In that case, little!me didn't want to see them .

Fellow collectors, toy fans and kids-in-adult-form (lol) are however welcome . Sometimes I even lend out ponies or dolls to people I really trust, especially if they're travelling somewhere interesting and want a companion. If the post wasn't so unreliable, I would totally want to organise a pony exchange with ponies visiting other collectors and seeing different parts of the world .

[Crowning_Glory13]

Shaz, I had the same idea of traveling pony too! But I hear another shipping hike is coming in the USA...blah and then all the theft and lost packages...so scary. Hearing all these great stories of fun in pony rooms wish we could meet. Yes there is pony events established, but an event where we bring a tub of ponies and spa together, have pony adventures together, photo shoots, and the drama we could create ...and even ponies to admire.

Imagine a giant ball room. Sleeping bags, catered food and all we do is play with ponies!!

Working in daycare there are some awesome kids and some not so much when it comes to toys. I have a few kids can play with, but some are just special and I don’t even play with them:)

[Marlin]

I've had a couple of other collectors check out my ponies, and I love handling and talking about them during those events - fortunately whoever I've met has been like-minded!

As a kid, I was all about playing with my ponies, but I don't do that as an adult. I'm a rescue, clean up, display and feel the love collector. I enjoying watching my kids play with their own ponies but even then, oddly, I don't join in. It's just not in me.

As for kids handling my ponies - my own girls I trust; they KNOW Mummy's ponies are special. Visitors - it's under strict supervision and there's no playing with *my* collection. And since I don't let kids play with them, my main concern is "how clean are your hands!!!"