By Leslie Mitchell
Marguerite Henry's book 'Misty of Chincoteague', the sequels and the film 'Misty' made many kids want to have a Misty of their own. The character Misty was inspired by an animal that Henry bought in the Forties. This animal came from a herd of Chincoteague ponies.
The breed hails from Assateague Island. This barrier island is shared by Virginia and Maryland, two states on the east coast of the USA. The feral animals have been part of the island's wildlife for a few hundred years and have adapted to the conditions 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.
The breed hails from Assateague Island. This barrier island is shared by Virginia and Maryland, two states on the east coast of the USA. The feral animals have been part of the island's wildlife for a few hundred years and have adapted to the conditions 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.
To adapt to the conditions on the island, the animals have become less horse-like and more pony-like. The grazing provides poor nutrition, so these equines are small, only about 13.2 hands in height and about 850 pounds in weight. However, when they get better nutrition, they can become bigger.
Another result of the poor grazing on the island is that the animals tend to look bloated with very big bellies. This is because they need to drink twice the amount of water that other equines need in order to accommodate the salty grasses they eat. They are also sturdy with strong feet and joints to make it easier to walk on the soft sand.
In terms of coloring, the ponies come in a variety of colors. They can for instance be solid black or brown. The most popular coloring is pinto, however. Pinto-patterned animals have large patches of white with black or brown.
Because Assateague belongs to both Maryland and Virginia, there is a fence along the state line that separates the island. There are two herds, one on each side of this fence. The National Park Service owns and manages the Maryland herd. The animals are known as Assateague horses in Maryland and are treated as wild animals. The only exception is that they receive contraceptive treatment to keep their population small and reduce the risk 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
Another result of the poor grazing on the island is that the animals tend to look bloated with very big bellies. This is because they need to drink twice the amount of water that other equines need in order to accommodate the salty grasses they eat. They are also sturdy with strong feet and joints to make it easier to walk on the soft sand.
In terms of coloring, the ponies come in a variety of colors. They can for instance be solid black or brown. The most popular coloring is pinto, however. Pinto-patterned animals have large patches of white with black or brown.
Because Assateague belongs to both Maryland and Virginia, there is a fence along the state line that separates the island. There are two herds, one on each side of this fence. The National Park Service owns and manages the Maryland herd. The animals are known as Assateague horses in Maryland and are treated as wild animals. The only exception is that they receive contraceptive treatment to keep their population small and reduce the risk 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
Because Assateague belongs to both Maryland and Virginia, there is a fence along the state line that separates the island. There are two herds, one on each side of this fence. The National Park Service owns and manages the Maryland herd. The animals are known as Assateague horses in Maryland and are treated as wild animals. The only exception is that they receive contraceptive treatment to keep their population small and reduce the risk 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.
About the Author:
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.
About the Author:
You can find original artwork featuring Chincoteague ponies by visiting our web pages at www.intheherd.com today. To access our gallery or to learn more about the artist, check the links at http://www.intheherd.com now.