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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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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