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.

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.

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.

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 Virginia herd is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which also manages the herd. To keep this herd’s population in check, there is a Pony Penning Day every year in July. On this day, riders round up the ponies. These Saltwater Cowboys get the animals to swim across the channel that separates Assateague Island from Chincoteague Island. Foals are then auctioned off to raise money for the fire company. Unsold animals return to Assateague.

Pony Penning Day has become a tourist attraction on the island. In addition, it has become a way for people to buy Chincoteague ponies and return them to the mainland. This means that for many children, having their own Misty will not be a pipe dream.

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.