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.
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.
Nobody really knows how or when the animals came to be on Assateague Island. There are different theories, though. One is that they are the descendants of horses from Spanish galleons that were shipwrecked here. It is also possible that early colonists brought them to the island so that they wouldn't have to pay taxes on their livestock, like they would have had to do on the mainland.
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.
The soft sand that covers the island has necessitated sturdy, strong legs and feet. The animals also tend to have big, bloated-looking bellies. This is because they need to drink about double the amount of water that other equines need, due to the salty grasses they live on.
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.
On Assateague Island, there are two herds separated by the state line. On the Maryland side, they are known as Assateague horses. This herd belongs to the National Park Service. The animals are treated in the same way as other wild animals except that they get contraceptives. This is to keep their numbers in check and prevent overgrazing.
On the Virginia side of the state line, the herd is the property to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. The way to keep their numbers in check here is through Pony Penning Day, which takes place on the last Wednesday of July. Riders round up the animals and get them to swim across the Assateague Channel to Chincoteague Island. These riders are called Saltwater Cowboys. Some of the foals are sold to raise money for the fire service. The rest of the animals are returned to Assateague Island two days later.
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.
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.
Nobody really knows how or when the animals came to be on Assateague Island. There are different theories, though. One is that they are the descendants of horses from Spanish galleons that were shipwrecked here. It is also possible that early colonists brought them to the island so that they wouldn't have to pay taxes on their livestock, like they would have had to do on the mainland.
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.
The soft sand that covers the island has necessitated sturdy, strong legs and feet. The animals also tend to have big, bloated-looking bellies. This is because they need to drink about double the amount of water that other equines need, due to the salty grasses they live on.
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.
On Assateague Island, there are two herds separated by the state line. On the Maryland side, they are known as Assateague horses. This herd belongs to the National Park Service. The animals are treated in the same way as other wild animals except that they get contraceptives. This is to keep their numbers in check and prevent overgrazing.
On the Virginia side of the state line, the herd is the property to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. The way to keep their numbers in check here is through Pony Penning Day, which takes place on the last Wednesday of July. Riders round up the animals and get them to swim across the Assateague Channel to Chincoteague Island. These riders are called Saltwater Cowboys. Some of the foals are sold to raise money for the fire service. The rest of the animals are returned to Assateague Island two days later.
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.
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