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.
Chincoteague ponies come from Assateague Island, a barrier island off the coast of Virginia and Maryland. They have lived here for a couple of centuries and have adapted to surviving the harsh conditions on the island. Today many still live in feral conditions.
How the animals arrived on Assateague Island is a bit of a mystery. One theory is that colonists brought them to the island in the seventeenth century. In those days it would have been a way for the farmers to avoid taxes on their livestock, which they would have had to pay on the mainland. In addition, on the island the farmers wouldn't have had to comply with laws like fencing laws. There is another theory that sounds more romantic, though. It is the belief that the animals arrived here as survivors of a shipwreck off the coast.
Whichever way the horses came to Assateague, over the years they have adapted to resemble ponies. The poor nutrition of the vegetation they've had to eat has caused them to be small, on average 13.2 hands in height. This is equal to 54 inches. They also weigh around 850 pounds. When they get better nutrition, the animals reach a greater height and weight.
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.
The animals come in many different colors. Some are brown and some are black all over. However, the coloring that most buyers want is pinto-patterned with patches of white and brown or black.
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.
Assateague's Pony Penning Day attracts many tourists from all over the nation. People interested in buying Chincoteague ponies also come from the mainland on this day to make their purchases. For some lucky kids, therefore, it is indeed possible to have their very own Misty.
Chincoteague ponies come from Assateague Island, a barrier island off the coast of Virginia and Maryland. They have lived here for a couple of centuries and have adapted to surviving the harsh conditions on the island. Today many still live in feral conditions.
How the animals arrived on Assateague Island is a bit of a mystery. One theory is that colonists brought them to the island in the seventeenth century. In those days it would have been a way for the farmers to avoid taxes on their livestock, which they would have had to pay on the mainland. In addition, on the island the farmers wouldn't have had to comply with laws like fencing laws. There is another theory that sounds more romantic, though. It is the belief that the animals arrived here as survivors of a shipwreck off the coast.
Whichever way the horses came to Assateague, over the years they have adapted to resemble ponies. The poor nutrition of the vegetation they've had to eat has caused them to be small, on average 13.2 hands in height. This is equal to 54 inches. They also weigh around 850 pounds. When they get better nutrition, the animals reach a greater height and weight.
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.
The animals come in many different colors. Some are brown and some are black all over. However, the coloring that most buyers want is pinto-patterned with patches of white and brown or black.
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.
Assateague's Pony Penning Day attracts many tourists from all over the nation. People interested in buying Chincoteague ponies also come from the mainland on this day to make their purchases. For some lucky kids, therefore, it is indeed possible to have their very own Misty.
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