the wild ponies of Assateague and Chincoteague
I read Misty of Chincoteague in grade school, and when I showed my dad one of Marguerite Henry's other books, Album of Horses, that had a chapter on Chincoteague ponies, he said "we should go there."
We did, in 1972, the last year Misty was alive. We went for Pony Penning in July, and she passed in October. I've gone back to the islands almost every year; camped, backpacked, kayaked, scuba'd, snorkeled, taken gazillions of photos and accidentally rode in the fall roundup.
The ponies arrived with colonists who turned all manner of livestock loose on the big barrier island of Assateague, avoiding various fencing laws and taxes, rounding up livestock as needed. The legend of the Spanish shipwreck has its roots in reality: the coast of Assateague is lined with shipwrecks. There are no rocks, just shifting sand and shoals that trap the unwary hull. Whether it ran aground in a storm, or by oops in clear weather, either you get your ship off on the next tide, or it breaks up. Probably any number of ships offloaded cargo, including livestock like horses, before leaving them to the elements.
The Chincoteague ponies on the VA end of the island are owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Pony Penning is the last gasp of traditional roundups that occurred for centuries. Foals are auctioned off to keep the herd at a manageable 150. The rest of the year, the ponies live life as they wish on the big barrier island. They are accustomed to people, saltwater cowboys handle them by herding and chutes and corrals, but can walk up behind them waving hats or herding wands and they just move out of the way. Fences keep them out of the Maryland end, away form sensitive wildlife refuge areas, and away from most tourists.
On the Maryland end, ponies are treated as all other wildlife. They wander abut everywhere. Signs inform visitors to lock up food and trash, but ponies are clever, and will break into your unattended cooler or tent. Ponies die, hit by car, because entire generations have taught their foals to mug cars for food. Park staff does their best to educate, but some folks are still clueless. The ponies are used to humans, and unafraid (even things that will move a trained domestic horse like waving, shouting, etc will get you ignored or kicked).
I have had the fun of creating a few educational items for ponies on both ends. I know the islands, the ponies, and grew up on horseback.
If you go, give them a polite wide berth, use a zoom, lock up food and trash, and enjoy the fact that these are the last remnants of wild horses in the east.
PS: yes, they are mostly ponies. A "pony" is anything under 14 hands 2 inches (14.2). A hand is four inches.
Some breed organizations and even park service literature likes to call them horses, because it sounds cooler. That's correct for the overall species, but they are mostly 13 to 14 hands, so PONIES.
We did, in 1972, the last year Misty was alive. We went for Pony Penning in July, and she passed in October. I've gone back to the islands almost every year; camped, backpacked, kayaked, scuba'd, snorkeled, taken gazillions of photos and accidentally rode in the fall roundup.
The ponies arrived with colonists who turned all manner of livestock loose on the big barrier island of Assateague, avoiding various fencing laws and taxes, rounding up livestock as needed. The legend of the Spanish shipwreck has its roots in reality: the coast of Assateague is lined with shipwrecks. There are no rocks, just shifting sand and shoals that trap the unwary hull. Whether it ran aground in a storm, or by oops in clear weather, either you get your ship off on the next tide, or it breaks up. Probably any number of ships offloaded cargo, including livestock like horses, before leaving them to the elements.
The Chincoteague ponies on the VA end of the island are owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Pony Penning is the last gasp of traditional roundups that occurred for centuries. Foals are auctioned off to keep the herd at a manageable 150. The rest of the year, the ponies live life as they wish on the big barrier island. They are accustomed to people, saltwater cowboys handle them by herding and chutes and corrals, but can walk up behind them waving hats or herding wands and they just move out of the way. Fences keep them out of the Maryland end, away form sensitive wildlife refuge areas, and away from most tourists.
On the Maryland end, ponies are treated as all other wildlife. They wander abut everywhere. Signs inform visitors to lock up food and trash, but ponies are clever, and will break into your unattended cooler or tent. Ponies die, hit by car, because entire generations have taught their foals to mug cars for food. Park staff does their best to educate, but some folks are still clueless. The ponies are used to humans, and unafraid (even things that will move a trained domestic horse like waving, shouting, etc will get you ignored or kicked).
I have had the fun of creating a few educational items for ponies on both ends. I know the islands, the ponies, and grew up on horseback.
If you go, give them a polite wide berth, use a zoom, lock up food and trash, and enjoy the fact that these are the last remnants of wild horses in the east.
PS: yes, they are mostly ponies. A "pony" is anything under 14 hands 2 inches (14.2). A hand is four inches.
Some breed organizations and even park service literature likes to call them horses, because it sounds cooler. That's correct for the overall species, but they are mostly 13 to 14 hands, so PONIES.
Above: Signs educating visitors as to why you don't feed the ponies. Chincoteague Island VA. Began with someone posting pics of visitors feeding ponies (despite do not feed the ponies signs), my blog, some other Pony Ladies' input, and eventually, produced metal signs. I took the pic of Henry's Hidalgo on a Captain Dan Around the Island Tour, and photoshopped the jpg for the sign.
Booths at Pony Penning 2021.
Booths at Pony Penning 2021.
Below: pic I shot of this red mare on the Maryland end of Assateague. I saw a park service "wildlife petting chart" with a bison, and thought... pony.
Armed with Photoshop, I created this Pony Petting Chart.
It was posted on several Assateague/Chincoteague Pony Facebook pages and found its way to some park sites.
Once more, tourists who do not follow the ponies, or who are not horsemen, see a familiar domestic animal that isn't afraid of anyone, and assume it's a pet. Um, no. These are free living wild ponies who are not trained. They speak Equine, which often involves teeth and hooves. Enjoy from a distance. And never ever feed for reasons on the sign above.
Armed with Photoshop, I created this Pony Petting Chart.
It was posted on several Assateague/Chincoteague Pony Facebook pages and found its way to some park sites.
Once more, tourists who do not follow the ponies, or who are not horsemen, see a familiar domestic animal that isn't afraid of anyone, and assume it's a pet. Um, no. These are free living wild ponies who are not trained. They speak Equine, which often involves teeth and hooves. Enjoy from a distance. And never ever feed for reasons on the sign above.
