How long do Assateague ponies live?

Who owns the ponies on Assateague Island?

The National Park Service manages the herd of ponies at the northern end of Assateague Island. The separate herd in Virginia is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, which sponsors the annual pony penning and swim every July.

What is a Chincoteagues?

In order to compensate for high salt intake, the ponies drink almost twice as much water as a typical horse, which gives many Chincoteagues a plump appearance. The ponies have short, strong legs, thick manes, and a friendly disposition. Chincoteagues can be found in a range of colors and coats, with distinctive pintos proving most popular.

How to get to Assateague Island?

Renting a car from Washington, D.C., is the easiest way to get to Assateague. The most direct route is to head east through Maryland over the 7-kilometer Chesapeake Bay Bridge into Delaware, then south back into Maryland. While it’s an easy and scenic drive, you’ll want to use a map or GPS to navigate and check traffic reports.

What is the National Chincoteague pony Association?

The National Chincoteague Pony Association was founded in 1985, and the Chincoteague Pony Association in 1994. The latter is open only to horses purchased from the annual auction, while the former maintains a breed registry and studbook that registers all ponies, including those from private breeders.

What is Assateague State Park?

The State of Maryland manages two miles of the Maryland district as Assateague State Park. The Virginia district is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The National Park Service operates the Toms Cove Visitor Center and a recreational beach within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

Who manages Assateague Island National Park?

Most of the Maryland district is managed by the National Park Service as Assateague Island National Seashore. The State of Maryland manages two miles of the Maryland district as Assateague State Park.

Is Assateague Island National Park safe?

Assateague Island National Seashore visitor centers, most nature trails, bathhouses and wayside exhibits are accessible. Safety: Protect Yourself in Your Park! You’ll enjoy your visit to Assateague more if you are prepared for beach & surf conditions, weather, sun, heat, biting insects and more.

What’s the best way to enjoy Assateague Island?

You’ll enjoy your visit to Assateague more if you are prepared for beach & surf conditions, weather, sun, heat, biting insects and more. Assateague Island is a 37 mile long island along the coasts of Maryland and Virginia. Most of the Maryland district is managed by the National Park Service as Assateague Island National Seashore.

How are the foals of the chincoteauge ponies sold?

The foals of the pony herd will be sold by way of online auction, with a date to be determined by the Pony Committee. The Chincoteauge Wild Pony Auction is usually held on the last Thursday of July, the day after the pony swim.

Do I need to register my horse on Assateague Island?

• Registration of ponies purchased at auction is required. The annual pony swim and auction helps to manage the number of wild horses on Assateague and prevents them from adversely impacting this sensitive barrier island ecology.

How do I get to Assateague Island?

From Maryland, you can access both Assateague State Park and Assateague National Seashore. To access the Maryland portion you take the second right after crossing Verrazano Bridge, to get onto Campground Rd. This road runs through the Maryland section.

How do I get to Assateague Island and State Park?

Both areas share the Assateague barrier island and are accessed by the a 2 lane bridge and parallel bike bridge from MD Rte. 611–about 15 minutes south of MD Rte 50. The State Park is a little more oriented towards families–with hot showers, concessions. Fees are per person or MD state park passes.

Can You camp at Assateague Island?

Camping at Assateague can be an amazing experience if you plan ahead! Be prepared for camping on a barrier island. Kayaking is just one of the ways to explore Assateague. Stop at the visitor centers to discover other ways to enjoy your park. Get your permit for an adventurous getaway in the Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone.

Where to stay near Assateague Island?

You could book a hotel in Ocean City Maryland and it is 15 minutes away from Assateague. I am bringing my 2 kids for a June weekend and camping in the state park. I know they’ll love the horses but also will want to be on the beach.

Can you touch the wild horses on Assateague Island?

Petting or feeding the wild horses may seem like a harmless and fun thing to do, but the consequences can be terrible. For your safety and the safety of the horses, please obey park regulations and do not approach, touch, or feed the Assateague horses. Assateague horses do bite, kick and can carry rabies.

Can You bike on Chincoteague Island?

For biking, a paved path connects Chincoteague and Assateague, with four main trails that wind through woodlands, a swan cove and a marsh, ranging from 0.8 to 5.2 kilometers. Canoes can be rented from the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.

What happens to the Chincoteague Ponies after they are sold?

After the Chincoteague Pony foals are sold, the stallions and mares are taken back to their islands, again swimming the channel at slack tide. Slack tide is when the water is at it’s calmest and the tide is neither coming in nor going out. This is the easiest time for the ponies to cross the channel.

Are Assateague ponies real?

Since the “Misty” book and pony auctions, many children as well as adults all over the world have dreamed of buying and owning an Assateague/Chincoteague pony. The real life wild pony named Misty was unique because she had a marking on her side resembling a map of the United States.

Why do they round up horses on Chincoteague Island?

For most of the year, the horses are free to graze the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge through a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But every July, Chincoteague’s “salt-water cowboys” round up the horses and put a number up of them up for auction in order to control the population.

How is the island’s horse population monitored?

The island’s horse population is monitored by freeze branding numbers onto each animal’s left hindquarter. The identification of individuals allows the National Park Service to ensure correct gender ratios and to select which mares to inject with PZP.

Which side of Assateague Island is Chincoteague Island?

The Virginia side is called Chincoteague, the Maryland side is called Assateague State Park, and the NPS portion is called Assateague National Seashore. From Maryland, you can access both Assateague State Park and Assateague National Seashore.

Where is Assateague Island?

Assateague Island is a 37 mile long island along the coasts of Maryland and Virginia. Most of the Maryland district is managed by the National Park Service as Assateague Island National Seashore. The State of Maryland manages two miles of the Maryland district as Assateague State Park. The Virginia district is managed by the U.S.

How far is Assateague Island from Ocean City?

( Visitors can access the rugged Assateague Island National Seashore from two entrances: one on the north end, eight miles from Ocean City, Maryland, and one on the south end, two miles from Chincoteague, Virginia.) The Maryland section (which covers the northern two-thirds of the island) is home to the herd known as the Assateague horses.

Who manages the Assateague Island National Park?

This portion includes most of Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park, and it is managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, respectively.

Where is Chincoteague Beach?

Located just west of Assateague Island, on the eastern shore of Virginia, Chincoteague is far from a tourist beach town – you know the ones that are overcrowded and most of us come to have a love/hate relationship with – which is exactly what you should be looking for.