Did you know that December 13 is National Horse Day? So, to celebrate the occasion a little early, this Flashback Friday Feature is offering an insightful and historic look into the wild horse population that’s been known to inhabit the Assateague Island region for more than three and a half centuries.
A Bit About Assateague
Left purposely undeveloped, that 37-mile barrier island off the Delmarva coast known as Assateague boasts several distinct callouts and claims to fame. Interestingly enough, it wasn’t even originally its own independent island. Before 1933 and a great hurricane that resulted in the formation of the Ocean City Inlet, the land comprising Assateague actually used to adjoin the southern end of Fenwick Island.
Today, Assateague Island straddles the state lines of both Maryland and Virginia. The two-thirds comprising the Maryland side boast both Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park. Virginia’s remaining one-third contains the Chincoteague National Refuge and a one-mile stretch of land set aside for lifeguarded recreational beach pursuits.
Thousands of diverse animal species have taken up permanent residence on the shores of Assateague Island. But among the most unique creatures to be found roaming the wilds here are of course the abundant feral horses—an area mainstay for at least 350 years. In total, when combining the horse population on both the Maryland and Virginia sides there are well over 300 specimens thriving on the island. But where did they all come from? Some pretty interesting theories have come up, although the real answer remains a great mystery.
Where Did They Come From?
A widely accepted fact about the equines now residing in the Americas today is that they descended from those originally brought to the New World by Europeans. But each unique wild horse population has its own distinguishable storyline. As for the horses that inhabit Assateague Island, there are three possible premises.
One theory is that the now-feral horses roaming the Assateague region were formerly the abandoned property of pirates. Given the well-known pirate populous along the Delmarva shoreline throughout history, this theory isn’t so far-fetched. It cannot, however, be verified as factual.
Another more plausible idea is that the horses of today are the descendants of those that were brought to the area by early settlers in the 1600s to help round up grazing cattle. As the tale goes, these formerly domesticated equines became less and less tame due to fewer human interactions after their eventual abandonment by former owners when they vacated the area. Left on their own, the horses adapted to the land and became wild.
There is another interesting fable—one that even drove the featured plot in the 1947 children’s book Misty of Chincoteague. What’s most intriguing of all, though, is that recent genealogical findings may support the story as being factual. The gist of this idea is that the horses were aboard a Spanish galleon that went down off the coast of the nearby surrounding shores. With no other choice but to swim to safety, the horses found new refuge on the coast and soon adapted to a new way of life.
Discovered Spanish shipwrecked remains near Assateague lend credence to this story in more ways than one. Furthermore, within just the last few years, more evidence emerged when archeologist Nicolas Delsol uncovered DNA evidence linking the Chincoteague ponies of today with horses from 16th-century Spain (the Iberian Peninsula).
Are They Horses or Ponies?
A lot of confusion surrounds the idea of whether or not the equines roaming Assateague are ponies or horses. In short, they are horses. Their common confusion with ponies comes from their somewhat shorter, stockier builds, which many scientists believe to be a result of their long-term dietary adaptations to characteristically marshier grass and water sources over time.
Another helpful adaptation these horses have developed is the thick growth of winter coats during colder seasons. This helps them to better thrive in a climate prone to heavy coastal winds and even ward off pesky insects.
Genetically, however, there is nothing unique about the wild horse population inhabiting these parts today. They are horses that have learned to thrive, adapt, and go with the flow.
Horse Management
While Assateague’s feral horse population remains wild and undomesticated, there are some healthful strategies and techniques that resource officials implement to assist in maintaining breed numbers. On the Maryland side, for instance, a select number of mares undergo contraceptive vaccination annually. This helps to reduce pregnancy rates to more manageable levels without any harmful side effects.
On the Virginia turf, controlling horse population numbers is done differently. Every year a round-up of more than a hundred horses takes place in what is known as the Annual Pony Swim across the Assateague Channel to neighboring Chincoteague Island. From here, the horses are auctioned off. After a vast number of foals are sold, the remaining horses swim back to Assateague. While the Annual Pony Swim has been officially ongoing since 1924, the act of “penning ponies” from Assateague to Chincoteague dates back to at least 1835.
The horses roaming Assateague Island today are easily the area’s most popular living attraction. And if future indications are anything to go by, they will remain the starring features here for many years to come.