Many children who saw the film 'Misty' from the early Sixties or read any of the 'Misty of Chincoteague' books have wanted Chincoteague ponies of their very own. Marguerite Henry's beloved character Misty is in fact based on a real-life equine that she bought in the late Forties. Misty was of a unique breed that hails from the East Coast of the United States.
Even though they're named after the neighboring island, Chincoteague ponies are found on Assateague Island, a barrier island partly in Virginia and partly in Maryland. They live here as feral animals. After having lived on the island for generations, they have adapted to the natural environment here.
It is uncertain how the equines came to Assateague Island or when exactly it happened. One of the more romantic-sounding theories is that they are descended from horses that survived a shipwreck and swam to shore during transport from Spain to South America. Another is that seventeenth-century colonist livestock farmers brought them here. On the mainland these farmers would have to pay taxes on their livestock and they would have to adhere to laws like fencing regulations, but on the island they could escape these.
Over time the equines have adapted and have become more like ponies. They are small due to the poor nutritional value of the grazing here. In feral conditions they reach an average height of 13.2 hands and an average weight of 850 pounds. With better nutrition when they are kept domestically, however, they can grow bigger.
The animals have strong legs, especially in the joints and feet, making it easier for them to navigate the sandy soil of the island. Because the marsh grasses are salty, the animals need to drink a lot of water too. They drink twice as much as other equines this size, so that they may look fat or bloated.
There is no one particular color for animals of the breed. They can be brown all over, black or any other color. The most desired coloring is pinto-patterned, which is a combination of white and patches of another color.
A fence along the state line divides Assateague Island in two. There is a herd on either side of this fence. Maryland's herd is called Assateague horses and belongs to the National Park Service. The Park Service treats the animals as wild animals but give them contraceptives to keep population growth in check. This reduces the possibility of overgrazing.
The herd on the Virginia side is the property and responsibility of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. To keep the herd small, there is a Pony Penning Day every year in July, on the third Wednesday of the month. This involves so-called Saltwater Cowboys rounding up the animals and making them swim to Chincoteague Island, separated from Assateague by a channel. This is followed by an auction of foals. The proceeds go to the fire service and the animals that aren't sold, are returned to Assateague.
Pony Penning Day is the main event on Assateague's calendar of events. Tourists flock here to see the swim and to buy Chincoteague ponies that they can take back to the mainland. This means that every year there are a few kids who get to have their own Misty after all.
Even though they're named after the neighboring island, Chincoteague ponies are found on Assateague Island, a barrier island partly in Virginia and partly in Maryland. They live here as feral animals. After having lived on the island for generations, they have adapted to the natural environment here.
It is uncertain how the equines came to Assateague Island or when exactly it happened. One of the more romantic-sounding theories is that they are descended from horses that survived a shipwreck and swam to shore during transport from Spain to South America. Another is that seventeenth-century colonist livestock farmers brought them here. On the mainland these farmers would have to pay taxes on their livestock and they would have to adhere to laws like fencing regulations, but on the island they could escape these.
Over time the equines have adapted and have become more like ponies. They are small due to the poor nutritional value of the grazing here. In feral conditions they reach an average height of 13.2 hands and an average weight of 850 pounds. With better nutrition when they are kept domestically, however, they can grow bigger.
The animals have strong legs, especially in the joints and feet, making it easier for them to navigate the sandy soil of the island. Because the marsh grasses are salty, the animals need to drink a lot of water too. They drink twice as much as other equines this size, so that they may look fat or bloated.
There is no one particular color for animals of the breed. They can be brown all over, black or any other color. The most desired coloring is pinto-patterned, which is a combination of white and patches of another color.
A fence along the state line divides Assateague Island in two. There is a herd on either side of this fence. Maryland's herd is called Assateague horses and belongs to the National Park Service. The Park Service treats the animals as wild animals but give them contraceptives to keep population growth in check. This reduces the possibility of overgrazing.
The herd on the Virginia side is the property and responsibility of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. To keep the herd small, there is a Pony Penning Day every year in July, on the third Wednesday of the month. This involves so-called Saltwater Cowboys rounding up the animals and making them swim to Chincoteague Island, separated from Assateague by a channel. This is followed by an auction of foals. The proceeds go to the fire service and the animals that aren't sold, are returned to Assateague.
Pony Penning Day is the main event on Assateague's calendar of events. Tourists flock here to see the swim and to buy Chincoteague ponies that they can take back to the mainland. This means that every year there are a few kids who get to have their own Misty after all.
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