Fluttershy has her beat.

At least, to the animals. She has trouble interacting with other ponies, but when it comes to animals, she can Disney Princess with the best of them.

Affectionate? Twi is many things, but I don't think affectionate ranks too high on that list. Fluttershy on the other hoof....

Twilight can be affectionate. To Spike, anyway.

If I appeared in Ponyville:

Fluttershy would fly off, screaming.

Dash would think I was invading.

Pinkie would try to find out whether I have a sense of humor and see if I could beat her in packing away cake.

Applejack would just shrug her shoulders and give me an open welcome.

Rarity would want nothing to do with me and then decide to see if she could make something to fit me. And pants.

Twilight would greet me politely and immediately start working on a multi-page scientific thesis on me.

Nanoha learned friendshipping from Twilight and co.

She does a fair bit of nuzzling. As mentioned above, she does it a lot to Spike. I had more examples, but I seem to have lost all but when she nuzzles Applejack after the rock slide and Smartypants just before the Want It, Need It fiasco. I'll try to remember the others over lunch.

Hmm, you may be right in that regard. She is more physically affectionate than the other ponies that way.

I think I can use that in Idle Gossip.

Wait, are we linking playlists?

If so, I offer mine so far.

Here and here.

On Cuddling Pony-kind:

Generic - most mature pony-kind are on average, 40 inches or just a bit over three feet tall. That comes up to about torso level, so we'd have to sit or kneel to put ourselves at their eye-level. This small size would also preclude an adult human from riding them around, although small children would get a kick out of it. Ponies, being equines, are muscular creatures (unless overweight). They enjoy a good brushing and grooming, as well.

Earth pony - no special considerations needed. Avoid tickling their flanks, as their hindlegs can kick rather hard.

Unicorns - Be mindful of the horn. Although somewhat blunt in most examples, it could put out an eye or bruise someone, if ran into. Do not touch the horn while it is energized, as that would ground out the horn through yourself and into the ground, resulting in something quite similiar to an electrical burn.

Pegasi - Be careful about their wings. Wing bones are very delicate, and a Pegasi can suffer a massive bleedout if one of their blood-feathers is snapped. Pegasi, as a general rule, are more aggressive than the other pony-kind, so it is inadvisable to aggravate them, no matter how docile they appear.

If small children are about, it is recommended to consult with the pony first before allowing children a chance to ride the pony. If children are going to ride a Pegasus, saftey equipent should be worn if this is to be a flying ride, up to and including a parachute, approved helmet and goggles. If the Pegasus is not going to fly while mounted, no saftey equipment is needed.

As ponies are equines, it is highly recommended to have on-hand a variety of treats for the pony to eat, including a salt-lick. They will appreciate your hospitality.

you can't really discuss pony size without me insisting the merch is actual size.

If the merch is actual size, then just imagine how many ponies you could cuddle with at once!

Well, in the extremely unlikely case that they're that small:

WARNING: Do not squeeze them too hard in your hand, or you'll pulpify them. Bone splinters may also be encountered. Contact medical personnel immediately to prevent bloodborne pathogen contamination.

edited 19th Dec '11 11:51:33 AM by pvtnum11

D:

Death by pony-snuggling swarm. Totally worth it.

Pinkie would jump at the chance to give human kids a pony ride.

After Nightmare Night, she strikes me as a good with kids type who would work as a summer camp concillor if given the chance...and we did once discuss that she would have a ton of kids when she's older and married.

And if they are merch sized...treat them like you would a hamster or a chinchilla.

edited 19th Dec '11 11:58:45 AM by ApplelightLimited

No! I refuse to think of ponies as merch size! How could they give me hugs?

Facehugger style!

Edit: Has anyone done an Alien/Pony crossover?

edited 19th Dec '11 12:13:42 PM by CDRW

I have a 40" Fluttershy plush. If that's their actual size, picking them up would be difficult (the plush is quite an arm full and she doesn't even weigh as much as a pony probably would). I'd probably hang out with them like I would with a large dog (adjusting behaviour for equines, of course).

For merch size, well... if we're talking brushables, I think I'd be okay petting them with a finger, but I wouldn't want to do a body cuddle. If they were moulded toy size, I'd be afraid to touch them for fear of hurting them.

They could make up for it with en masse nuzzling? Imagine being nuzzled by a dozen ponies at once.

edited 19th Dec '11 12:16:11 PM by KuroiTsubasaTenshi

Come at me ponies!!!!

Judging from the show's other animals, The ponys are about large dog size.

Yeah I back the 'average female ponies are seven apples (hands) high at the withers' theory.....best size really.

28 inches at their withers, so yeah. A large dog.

Pretty sure Rarity and Fluttershy aremade of marshmallow and butter respectively

Oh, yeah, forgot about those two. Put them on a stick and roast them after squishing?

Pony-smores.

Didn't the last episode give us an even more concrete measurement in the 8 foot candy cane? Should be easy enough to measure the fillies against the cane and then the mares against the fillies.

*HURK!*

edited 19th Dec '11 12:26:45 PM by KuroiTsubasaTenshi

Isn't Butterfly a thing? There was a meme of drawing her overweight or something?

ERRRRRRRRRRRAAAAHHHHH!!!!

edited 19th Dec '11 12:27:21 PM by ApplelightLimited