how many years?

[lithiumkat]

How long have you been a pony fanatic? Since childhood? Or discover a love for them later in life. How old were you when you first encountered mlp and did you like them initially or not? around what time frame?

I was a pony fan since childhood, I got my first mlp when I was four. Twinkle eyed Galaxy. I loved her, still do. That would've been in 1987. My cousin had a lot of ponies as well we played together a lot all through the late 80's and early 90's. I didn't like MLP friendship is magic at first but when I watched it again with an opened mind I ended up loving it.

[Eviecorn]

About 26 years and counting. 

[kaoskat]

Since I was 3 and never looked back. So..... About 30 years.

[SoSoftSurprise]

Picture it... 1984... a beautiful Sunday morning and an Easter basket with my name on it.
I was four, she was pink, it would be a love affair to last a life time! 
Cotton Candy started my collection and I've never stopped!

[RAMChYLD]

Mmmm... Hard one. I was pretty much a toddler in the mid-late 80s when I encountered MLP for the first time, but at that point I didn't really liked the show because it was scary. The show crossed my path a few dozen times again throughout the years since, and all those times I'd try to revisit it to face my fears, only to fail and retreat. It was only until Tales that I found my first pony love: Sweetheart (though Megan was a crush earlier on, she isn't a pony ). Unfortunately when Tales finally aired in Malaysia, MLP was already in G2. So I was not able to secure a Sweetheart at that time. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if TRU was carrying MLP at that time either, I don't recall seeing them.

So I'd say, I know MLP for about 26 years, though I only decided to go into casual collecting of Pinkie Pie in 2008 and get serious about the collection in 2011 after falling in love with Fluttershy.

[karrie91]

Well I remember getting a bunch of G2's for Christmas when I was a kid. Apparently, according to my mom, they were from my grandmother and all the G1's I had in my toy box were from various garage sales. I loved playing with those things! I even had Buddy L Ponies that I favored and used as 'boy' ponies. Such good times!

Then of course once I was about twelve my mom threw out all my toys and stuff so all the ponies I have now are not from my childhood. I got back in when my sister randomaly bought me a G4 Dewdrop Dazzle that was on clearance at Kroger. Been in love every since. Got my beautiful G4 grail Diamond Rose today. She's is a BEAUTY! 

[stopxmotion]

Childhood.. probably about 3 years old.

[CybrrKitten]

I got into ponies when I was 7! Ive been collecting ever since!
Though the past few years Ive fallen behind and because of money reasons, but Im getting back into it now!
And when I get my new job...Im sure the ponies will have most of my money!

[kiwimlp]

I was about 8 when ponies first came out and I fell in love with them instantly.  I adored them until I turned about 13 and then I put them away in storage.  They came out again when I was about 18 and sat on the bookcase above my bed.  Then at 28 I got my first computer and discovered ponies for sale online!!!  I was hooked... and the rest is history

[Beldarna]

I was three or four when I got my first mlp. 21 when I bought my first pony to collect.

[Elisto]

Since childhood, but I'm not sure exactly how long. Since the late 80s, certainly.

[little.fox]

I loved ponies as a kid and had a fair few. I bought my first collectible pony (Gusty) around 14, but have been collecting more or less actively since around the age of 22, so that's six years.

[Kiwi]

I had a few childhood ponies, but I didn't start collecting until about 2002/2003

[Gingerbread]

I got my first ponies in the mid 80s, took a haitus during my teenage years although I was told my childhood ponies were still in storage. Bought a few more here and there from about 19 on when I could afford to start collecting again (all my pocket money went on my dogs, snakes and tarantulas before that ) then discovered my choldhood ponies had gone AWOL somewhere

So I guess on and off for 28 years, properly in adulthood for the past twelve

[Moonracer]

I don't know exactly, but I suppose that it'd be something around 18-20 years, with a few breaks every now and then.