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| Actual descendants of the famous foal Misty |
Chincoteague is famous for its annual round-up of wild ponies who live on the salt marshes of Assateague, a national preserve.
At least one hundred ponies wander free eating salt oats and wondering why they look so bloated. (Stay away from the all-salt diet!)
Every late July, they are herded along the beach and forced into a gallop, right into the lowest tide time on the Chinctoeague channel. They swim across, foals, mares and stallions. Some of the herd is sold off at the annual auction. Who buys the ponies? Farmers, horse lovers, fathers of horse-obsessed little girls, the Amish and the Mennonites.
By the way, we saw some Mennonites driving around Assateague in their SUV and were ready to write them a religious "Ticket." How dare they flaunt modern technology! Don't they know they are supposed to be oppressed? Humph.
During the auction at the pony-penning, there are traditionally buy-backs, in which the philanthropists of the town buy ponies, and then donate them back to the island to roam free and have fun. All profits go to the Chicoteague firemen. It might be more efficient to just train the ponies to serve as firemen. No salary, no benefits, except for the aforementioned salty oats.
After that, perhaps the ponies could be trained to harvest the clams and oyster beds that are so abundant here.
A book was written about Misty of Chincoteague, a beautiful foal, who could not be captured for many years. Who buys this book? Mostly young fillies, I mean little girls.
Horses just wanna be free. And they are not much up for swimming.
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| Ponies eating on Assateague |
Patsie
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