Welcome To

www.wildponytales.info

A website that covers the people, places, ponies and wildlife of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands on the East Coast of Virginia.

 

A Chincoteague Pony Rescue Left Unfinished

 By Robert Boswell

Publisher, Wild Pony Tales

 Few of the rescues made by Debbie Ober who runs Chincoteague Pony Rescue have been easy. But the latest one has tested her organizational skills, stretched already thin finances and torn her heart out.

 On April 28 she sent her husband, Tom, and two friends nearly 500 miles to Bristol, Tenn. pulling their rescue trailer only to discover a situation that Debbie admits may be too much for them to handle. It was the Ober’s 10th rescue mission since 2008 and the only one where conditions forced them to leave ponies in need of rescue behind.

 To Debbie each foal is as precious as any newborn baby. Older ponies they have brought in from abusive situations get the tender loving care they need to return to good health.

To read more of theis story http://wildponytales.info/archives/2612

 

 

The History of the Assateague Lighthouse

By Wilma Young             originally posted on February 17, 2009.

On May 31, 1831, Conway Whittle of Norfolk, VA wrote to W. J. Curtis, the Collector of Customs, Drummondtown, VA; requesting a pilot familiar with the navigation of Chincoteague Inlet in order that said pilot might meet Whittle’s craft to lead such a craft to the Chincoteague Islands “for the purpose of selecting a site for the lighthouse”. He also requested Mr. Curtis “to make the best bargain for me you can, either by the day or by the job”.

His trip was necessary – even urgent – because there was a scarcity of lighthouses south of Delaware. As early as 1825 there had been concern over the desperate need for a seacoast light between Cape Charles, VA and Cape Henlopen, DE. The general plan was to have a lighthouse every 40 miles as each light was visible for 19 to 22 miles.

Read more of this story here.

Naturalist: Details Count When Watching Birds

By Betsy Muente        Originally posted on July 12, 2011.

Many types of ducks feed with tails up and heads below the water. Skimmers glide with uneven bills just below the surface of the water waiting to feel the touch of food on their bills. Osprey and eagles soar gracefully through the sky then catch their food with their powerful talons.

These are some of the details about birds on the Eastern Shore presented by George Budd, a master naturalist, to an audience at the  Herbert H. Bateman Visitor Center of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The “talk” is one in a series to be sponsored this year by the Chincoteague Natural History Association

The audience was shown intriguing up-close pictures of local birds in their natural habitats. Everyone’s eyes seemed glued to the screen as Mr. Budd showed his pictures and talked about how to tell one warbler from another. He played audio clips  of some birds as their pictures were shown. Other types of birds were shown and details were pointed out so we could see the differences to help us recognize Eastern Shore birds.

Read more of this story here.

Assateague Comes to Life in the Spring Sun

By Robert Boswell

There is no more interesting time of the year than early spring to take a ride out to the Atlantic Ocean, passing through the greenery of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

For more on this story visit: http://wildponytales.info/archives/2595

Stories Lead More Chincoteague Ponies to Rescue Pastures

By Robert Boswell                  Originally posted on 2 / 09/ 12

Part of the job of running the Chincoteague Pony Rescue calls for detective work.

When she finishes feeding, watering, checking for any sign of sickness and giving medical care to those ponies who arrive in poor condition, Debbie Ober sits at her computer and goes searching for anything she can find on the Rescues in her pastures.

She is up to 10 rescued Chincoteague ponies now. Five were bought at the famous auction held each July, two of them this past Pony Penning, an event that draws thousands to Chincoteague Island each summer. Another Rescue pony is coming in next week. Debbie has 11 ponies of her own.

Read more of this story here.

To See Chincoteague Ponies, Wildlife Assateague Bus Tour Is Best Bet

By Cyndel Brunell 

originally posted on March 5, 2012.

The tour bus begins it 2012 schedule April 6 with a Friday trip at 4 p.m. For current information regarding wildlife tours, or to purchase tickets, inquire at the refuge visitor center or call the CNHA office at (757) 336-3696

The CNHA offers visitors the opportunity to tour the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge during the months of April to November. The tour accesses areas of the refuge that are normally only open to foot traffic. The tour covers approximately 15 miles and lasts about 90 minutes.

Read more of this story here.

Training My Own Chincoteague Pony

By Sonara Hannah                          Originally posted on: Feburary 17, 2012

In 2010, a non-profit organization called the Feather Fund made my life-long dream come true when they bought a four month old colt for me at the famous Pony Penning auction in Chincoteague Island, VA. That colt was my pony Mincaye (Min-KY-yee) who is literally my childhood dream come to life! And because of him, I am living yet another dream come true…training my own horse.

The first step in Min’s training was for me to gain his trust. He was very nervous and frightened in the beginning and would turn tail to me every time I entered his stall. I desensitized him to touch by rubbing him all over with my hand, then with a lead rope; and then I built on that by tossing the lead over his back and around his legs.

Read more of this story here.

The Day Bidding History Was Made

By Wild Pony Tales

Originally posted August 2007.

It was a steamy morning on Chincoteague Island, the weatherman calling for a 93 degree day. A big crowd had gathered early this late July 2007 morning , excited about the yearly Chincoteague Pony Auction which would soon begin. Those planning to bid and those coming to watch had gotten there early to claim their seats..

Also getting up early had been members of the Chincoteague Fire Company who had a lot of work to do, setting up the auction site, preparing to keep records of the sales and most importantly, getting the bucking, excited ponies safely into and out of the auction ring..

Read the rest of this story here: http://wildponytales.info/archives/2562 .

$6,700 Highest Bid at Chincoteague Pony Auction

Originally posted on Aug 11, 2011

By Zackrey Hoverson

Hands flying up, the auctioneer talking so fast it sounds like gibberish and little foals whinnying, trying to escape their wranglers. These are some of the things that stay in your memory after attending the Chincoteague Pony Auction.

The purpose of the auction is to raise money for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, and to maintain the size of the herd that lives year-round on nearby Assateague Island. A grazing permit issued by the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge allows about 150 adult ponies to stay there.

Read the rest of the letter here.

Ponies, Cowboys Make Early Morning Run Along Atlantic Beach

Originally posted on Aug. 10, 2010.

By Misty Thornton

Each year thousands of pony lovers arrive on the island of Chincoteague, Virginia the last week in July just to wrap their eyes around the famous Chincoteague ponies, many for a whole week full of fun and sight-seeing.

The Saltwater Cowboys, almost as famous as the Chincoteague ponies, begin their work on Saturday, the week before Pony Penning,  with the roundup of the southern herd. Then, on Sunday they move to the northern range at the tip of the Virginia side of the island to round up the larger herd of around 100 ponies plus foals. Where the land is so much bigger than the southern range, it  takes longer to round the ponies up and put them into their corra l. The northern herd is less seen by the public because the access road, which runs 7.5 miles into the wilderness, is only open to hikers.

Read the rest of the story here.

Horses, Like People have their Bad Days: Trainer Katye Allen

By Robert Boswell

Originally Posted on July 21, 2009.

Men beware.

If you perk up one ear, lick or chew on your lips a little, or watch your mate with only one eye you have given yourself away. You are the submissive type and from here on out you are at the will of your trainer.

When Katye Allen steps into the ring to begin training a horse, these are the signs she is looking for. Once she sees them, she knows she has her subject’s attention. Before long, no matter where she moves in the ring, the horse will face her and follow her. “When I see those signs,” said Katye, “I will step in front of him and back up. I want him to turn and face me; I never want their butt toward me. That is a sign of disrespect.”

Read the rest of the story here.

Assateague Island, a Virginia Home to the Wild Ponies Also Home to Wildlife

By Jessica Van Dessel          Originally posted on Feb 7, 2009.

Fall and winter can be stormy, so this is the time to stay on the high ground, and grow heavy, scruffy coats for protection. With the whole of Assateague at their disposal, the ponies separate into small herds, and pick different parts of the island for their home territory. The herds usually consist of the stallion, his mares and their foals. A typical day begins with an early morning visit to a fresh water pond, followed by eating, eating, and more eating, another session at the pond, and then the shelter of the trees at night. The ponies’ favorite foods are cord grass, which grows in the marshes, and American beach grass, found in the dunes. But they’ll eat almost anything on the island – including poison ivy.

This channel is about a quarter of a mile wide. When the tide is slack, the ponies are driven into the water, to make the swim across to the opposite shore. It takes them less than 10 minutes. They generally have no problem with the swim, but boats are waiting to pick up any pony that has difficulty.

Read more of this story here.