Your pony "rules"

[appleponygal]

My rules are that I can only get pony stuff from the '80s/'90s now! And that's usually G1 stuff. I can get G4 if really like it. I also won't look on ebay or anything now.

[SourdoughStomper]

Mine are simple at this time.

If you see a G1 at the thrift store, get it.
If you see a decent G3 that you wouldn't mind having at the thrift store, get it.

[NovelNerd]

The first rule of pony buying is there are no rules...least in my house.

[Flitter]

I have sort of guidelines
Only G4
No Shine Brights
Only new character Glimmer Wings
Only playsets that include a new character
I'm starting to limit merchandise to things I know I'll actually use

[Lorelei Redfern]

the  only rule i have.. is no mold
and no g2

[Pinecone]

My only rule right now is only buy something if there's more than one of it left. I broke this occasionally though.

[ButtercreamDream]

I only have one rule:

Buy ponies I like

NoDivision, you're a bad influence... and I like your style!

[svleonard]

My main pony rule is just to not go too crazy at one time.  I do try to collect all the ponies of certain sets, but not all sets.  The sets I really like are the more traditional G1 sets, like the original main 6, the unicorns/pegasi, the sets of rainbow haired ponies, some of the g3.5's and many of the g4s.  I like most of the G3s and will buy ones I like if I can get them for decent prices.  Mostly, I just collect the ponies that I really like.  If I can manage to get all the ponies in a set that I really like, then that's great, but I don't (usually) allow myself to pay a lot for one pony because she is super popular or rare, even if it completes a set.

[Stormness_1]

I have a few rules:

-> No G3.5.
-> no fashion style, poseables, dollymix, or keychains... NONE! okay, maybe one keychain for personal use...
-> No MIB, except the blind bags... which must be MIP! This is purely to stop me collecting them all, only the ones in packaging I can admire them in! ( I did trade for a couple though... argh!)
-> No more playsets until I have more space!
-> Only buy from my wantlist unless it's a great deal on a lot.
-> Don't buy only one pony online (costs too much in shipping)
-> Only buy g1 & g2 online unless in a lot with g1/g2.
-> G3 & G4's only buy in person (at stores/thrift/markets)
-> only buy accessories for ponies I already have, or are on my wishlist and come with their accessories!
-> get rid of all duplicates... including remodels (after g2) except those two pinkie pies I have.... and any G3.5 I end up with.

ok, I have a lot of rules... and some I made up... just now!

[tsark35]

My pony rules...some of which get broken a bit:
a) Nothing from 3.5.
b) Keep to a theme before branching out. (For G1, the theme was "Collect the ponies from Rescue at Midnight Castle," and since I've managed that (got Bubbles and Seashell in one shot!,) I'll probably either move on to Escape from Catrina or the ponies that were the basis for the main cast of Friendship Is Magic...fortunately, there's some overlap, but if anyone knew if any G1 pony inspired Luna, I'd appreciate it. (Heck, if anyone could make me certain as to what the basis for Celestia was, I'd appreciate it. For me....it seems obvious she's inspired by Majesty. My Little Wiki, for some reason, thinks it's Sundance. For G4, it's been "collect the blind bags of the canon cast.")
Now I'll admit, that second one gets broken a bit. I had to have the blind bag Minty because Minty is just a cute and sweet pony, Wind Whistler and Gusty were just too awesome not to get, and I broke down and bought the brushables of the Manes. 

[RavenFeather]

My Rules were

~as a kid 'BUY ALL THE PONIES I DON'T HAVE!!!!'

~G2 rolls around '...Buy the old ones I don't have at garage sales?'

~G3 rolls around '...BUY JUST G1 AND G3 THAT I DON'T HAVE!!  maybe just the prettiest G3s..'

~G3.5 '.........Hello G2, I never realized how pretty you are....OMG PONYS IN THRIFT STORES!!!!  BUY EVERY GEN BUT G3.5 INCLUDING ONES I ALREADY HAVE!!!  YAY DOUBLES FOR PONYS TO WEAR PONY WEAR!!!!'

~G4 'Ok, just the brushables of this gen plus every gen but G3.5'
~Later G4 'Ok...Brushables and Fashion Styles plus older gens except G3.5'
~Even Later G4 'ok...brushables, fashion styles and those new Blind Bags plus older gens except G3.5, that's it! No More!!'
~Now '.....Oooh Trading Cards!!!   And brushables, fashion styles and those new Blind Bags plus older gens except G3.5'

[girlyponce]

It started with all Rainbow Dash all the time... and I was picky:
I only wanted Dasher's that had:
Pose Changes
Cutie Mark Differences

That evolved into accepting Hair Differences (I have G4s with bangs, without bangs & with tinsel)

I still have not evolved to ALL RAINBOW DASHES EVER. For example - I have no interest in getting G4 Glimmer Wings RD, [rant] because I saw that episode and only Rarity had wings like that so it's just silly for everyone else to have them [/rant]. G3 Easter Dash is the same. No differences in cutie mark or pose so I do not need her.

As I have now collected all of the ones that fit my "rules," I evolved to White Ponies. Which has now switched to White & Silver G1 & G2 (ie Princess Tiffany & Silver Swirl...) and White Body G3s.

And once I get all of those who knows what is next!

[sarafina]

That's such a great question - I've been thinking about that lately, actually!  I have kept my childhood collection of G1s but sold off my G2s and other G1s I had acquired over the years as an adult. 

I limit myself to actively collecting holiday-related G3s - especially the winter ponies, which I absolutely adore.   I also occasionally buy other G3s that I find to be especially cute.

[RAMChYLD]

My rules can be very complicated:

G1 :
- Tales 7 only, and in order of my queue. Meaning no Bon-Bon, no new Tales 7 pony (which has to be a Clover, then Bright-Eyes, then Patch, then finally Starlight and Melody). 
- Low priority, constrained by money left after high priority purchases.

G2 :
- Sky Skimmer only.
- Low priority, constrained by money left after high priority purchases.

G3 / 3.5 :
- Core 7, and maybe Fluttershy brushables and plushes only. However, the occasional electronic toy will be considered, provided that it's sophisticated enough to pique my interest.
- Low priority, constrained by money left after high priority purchases.

G4 :
- Tangiable toys (ie plushes and brushables) only. No stationary, trading cards, or other easily perishable stuff. However, this excludes apps and books, which will be subjected to discrimination based on the presence of villains in the media.
- Only toys by Hasbro, Funrise and KidDesigns are given priority. Other licensees subject to additional discrimination, and priority by budget.
- No villains. If set comes with villains, see if you can get a better deal excluding the villains before buying.
- No convention exclusives, unless they become available in regular stores.

[Tulips]

I've recently updated my rules:

• No more G1 or G2 (unless found in thrift store because that's rare) and no more G3.5 at all
• Only MIB exclusive con/fair G3 for a good price
• G4: Fashion style and plushies only (the odd blind bag for fun though)
• Be patient, stop buying online and wait for them to release in your country... unless you can get them for practically the same price online which happens quite often lol
  

However I break these rules very frequently lol 
I'm always seeing things I didn't know I wanted but most often I let them pass by for another collector who obviously wants it more and force myself to remove them from my want list.