>>328980
For me it starts with the absolute fetishization of love, devotion and caretaking. Then there is a healthy dose of past trauma involving diapers (illness, death) and voila, you have a truly unique and effective escapism from the real world. It's not sexual for me, so I can't comment further on that, but the overlap with sexual fetishes is huge, so you can imagine. The ponies who probably underwent similar traumas (Scootaloo, fanon RD whose mom is dead, the Apple family, …) have a very special place in my heart.