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.

In the early morning as the bidders got into their seats no one knew auction history would be made this day. As the auction moved along, a pony that many had been waiting for was brought into the ring. He was a white stallion. The bidding began.

Up to $5,000 it went, then on to $10,000 and the crowd grew quiet except for some gasping as the price edged upward. No matter how high the bidding went a higher bid was called out by a group of women sitting to the right of the auctioneer. The women, known as the Buyback-Babes, had their hearts set on this white stallion pony and they were not to be outbid. When they called out their last bid, $17,500, the auctioneer said “sold,” and a sales record had been reached. The previous record for a pony at the auction was $10, 500 in 2001.

The three-month-old foal was to be named Prince, and the Buyback Babes had purchased another foal to be returned to the herd.

Anyone who has attended the auction knows of this group of women who try to purchase a pony every year to be released back into the wild. These women are from all across the nation. They pool their money together for one lucky pony. This was Prince’s lucky year.

Prince enjoys the warm sun on the southern range of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. This photo was taken March 29, 2012 by Robert Boswell. His band of mares was grazing nearby.

Dr. Charles Cameron, from Eastern Shore Animal Hospital, the official pony veterinarian, gave Prince and the others a clean bill of health so he could be released back into the wild after the April roundup. Dr. Cameron and his staff have been giving inoculations to the wild ponies of Chincoteague for 18 years. The ponies are treated for the diseases encephalitis, West Nile, rabies, and equine infectious anemia. They are also treated for worms and given a tetanus shot.

Before Dr. Cameron can treat the ponies they have to be rounded up from both the southern and northern ranges. These ponies are on the Virginia side of Assateague, not to be confused with the Maryland ponies.

This year’s spring roundup began Friday afternoon (April 18) when the Saltwater Cowboys rounded up the southern herd, riding out on the range and shooing them along into a holding area off Woodland Trail. From there they are moved along to the big corral on Beach Road where they spend the night dining on hay and drinking fresh water from tubs.

Once in the corral, bands of ponies that belong to the stallions get mixed together and this often leads to conflict with the stallions who give off various signals of displeasure, with a little biting and kicking to make their points.

After a busy late afternoon on Friday, the cowboys had to be back on the job at 7 a.m., reporting to the much larger northern range for a full morning of riding.

Dr. Cameron’s morning started early too, with breakfast with his medical team and the wildponytales staff at Bill’s Restaurant. After breakfast, everyone headed for the corral where the southern heard was waiting. As Dr. Cameron backed his truck in and got set up, ponies were being separated into groups, by fire department officials.

When he was ready, fire officials ran the ponies into a chute, one by one. It was not a quiet scene. The ponies were kicking and whinnying, making an incredible array of noises. The ponies could not move around much once in the chute, giving Dr. Cameron’s helpers a chance to pry open their jaws. In a quick action, Dr. Cameron then gives each one a squirt of medication through a long tube connected to a pump, a contraption called a drench.

While all this is going on, seven miles away the northern herd was on their way into their corral, awaiting their own fate with Dr. Cameron. It took a huge effort by the cowboys as they worked to get every pony in the corral. At midday Dr. Cameron arrived and he and his assistants went through the same steps over and over until over 100 ponies had been treated.

But it was Prince that got the most attention, Jean Bonde, a member of the Buy-Backs said. “His Misty coloring made him stand out.”

The Buy-Backs knew they wanted to keep a colt when the Pony Association decided to keep males. They settled on Prince. The Buy-Backs only get to see their ponies at the three yearly roundups, but sometimes along Beach Road and from the tour bus run by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.

Prince was not released back into the wild until April 18, 2008. According to Bonde, Prince was kept over the winter at the carnival grounds along with several other foals. The fire department takes care of these foals during the winter months because they need time to grow stronger before released to the owners or back into the wild. Prince has now reached the age of about 15 months old and is living his life on Assateague Island.

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By Cyndel Brunell

”What kind of bird is that?”

“How much smaller are the Chincoteague ponies from regular sized horses?”

“Are there any foals this time of year?”

“How deep is the water they swim in?”

If you want answers to these questions and many more you should take the bus tour out into the wilderness of Assateague Island on the East Coast of Virginia. On this ride you will see the world famous Chincoteague ponies and other wildlife in their natural habitat. 

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.

Depending on the time of year, foals may be frolicking in the vast forest and bush of the island or mares may be grazing in the saltwater grasses. Always standing guard nearby, is the stallion who commands a band of mares and foals. The bus leaves from near the information center and has now been in operation for a little over six years. In October I went on my first bus tour. The tours are ran by the Chincoteague Natural History Association, a large group of volunteers that supports agencies that run this national park in many ways.

The bus takes you 7 ½ miles out into the wilderness. Inside the bus there is a wheelchair lift, two double seated flip up benches, and individual seats two next to each other going down the aisle. Each seat has a very large window with hatches so you can take pictures without the interference of glass. Some drivers will tell you not to open the hatches, however. Many people from around the world go to the refuge to experience this tour of the island trails.

You can see many ponies of the larger northern herd on this trip, the herd that is kept out of sight of the public until Pony Penning. This is the big event that draws thousands to Chincoteague and Assateague each July. Ponies are not the only animals you will see on this relaxing yet exciting nearly two-hour journey. The smaller southern herd of wild ponies is sometimes seen right from your car on the right side of Beach Road, on the way out to the Atlantic Ocean.

On your bus trip you may also see sika elk, white tailed deer, turtles, egrets, snow geese, hawks, eagles, Canada geese, the glossy ibis and other migrating birds. With any luck you might see a Delmarva fox squirrel, an endangered animal that gets lots of attention from park managers. And in the nesting season you might get a distant look at a piping plover cage that provides protection against predators. The piping plover is a small at risk bird. Each trip promises something new.

The driver will stop or slow down whenever they see something and will normally give you a description of the animal. On rare occasions however, there can be a few surprises that you may not see regularly. Horses sometimes interact with other animals, or a predator bird catching food in a near-view. There are always unexpected happenings on this tour.

One thing is for certain though, you are sure to learn a lot about this historic barrier island from the driver-tour guides. The drivers are very well informed and just full of interesting details. You will most likely be with people from all over the country and even other countries. The questions above the first paragraph were asked on a tour this past summer by guests from Annapolis, Md., Long Island, New York; Michigan and Accomack County.

This is not a rushed tour and it is not expensive. For tour times and prices go to www.assateague.com. One word of caution, there are nice, clean restrooms at the information center where you buy your tickets, but this is the last one you will see until you return. Passengers are not allowed to get off the bus.

The information center which now runs the bus tours is where you buy tickets. It is a good idea to call in advance, because many trips are sold out. Officials of the historical association have talked about getting another bus. Also they run special tours upon request in advance. I hope I have inspired some readers to consider going on this tour. It is the only way, really, to be sure you will see the wild ponies up close by traveling on land. Unless, of course you want to hike the seven miles out, which some people do. The drivers and tour guides are well informed. I will assure you that you will at least be stunned, marveled, fascinated or surprised at things you may see or learn. I know I enjoyed this wilderness adventure and hope you will too.

At the Chincoteague refuge, volunteers will be on hand to tally and discuss the species in the backyard bird garden of the Herbert H. Bateman Educational Center.  As seasoned local birdwatchers, knowledgeable about local bird species, native plants, and bird-feeding tips, these volunteers will share stories of the species they observe while providing more information to visitors on creating backyard habitats. 

The four-day event is open to bird watchers of all ages and skill levels. Participants watch birds for any length of time on one or more days of the count and enter their tallies (at no charge) at www.birdcount.org.  From reports of rare species to large-scale tracking of bird movements, the GBBC provides insight into the lives of birds. The results provide a snapshot of the whereabouts of more than 600 bird species.  Citizen participants become scientists, just by counting and observing.

“This bird count offers individuals and families a chance to learn more about the winter visitors to their backyard,” said Kevin Holcomb, Refuge Biologist at Chincoteague NWR, “while also providing valuable data to scientists and conservation researchers.”

Mid-February is chosen as the time for the Great Backyard Bird Count because it offers a good picture of the birds typically found throughout the winter months.  It also coincides with migration for some species, such as egrets or marsh birds. That window of transition affords an opportunity to detect changes in timing for northward migration.

On the www.birdcount.org website, participants can explore real-time maps and charts that show what others are reporting during the count. The site has tips to help identify birds and special materials for educators. Participants may also enter the GBBC photo contest by uploading images taken during the count. Many images will be featured in the GBBC website’s photo gallery. All participants are entered in a drawing for prizes that include bird feeders, binoculars, books, CDs, and many other great birding products.

The bird count is a joint project of the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada.  For additional details on the Refuge’s bird count event at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational Center, call 757-336-6122 or visit http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/.

The winning artwork will be the official trademark of the celebration to be held at the refuge on May 12, 2012.  It will appear on event-related materials including the program, flyers, T-shirts and other items.

International Migratory Bird Day will celebrate its 20th anniversary.  Created in 1993, this year’s theme Connecting People to Bird Conservation will focus on 20 ways people may help preserve birds every day.

“The logo art contest is a great way to connect people to bird conservation and the beauty of birds,” said Refuge Manager Lou Hinds.  Nature found at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge has always been a source of inspiration for artists.”

 Artists should submit an original line-art drawing of a migratory bird that can be seen on the refuge except for the past three winners, belted kingfisher, eastern bluebird and great horned owl.  In order to compete, submitted art must be an original, line art drawing in pen and ink.   Artists may submit as many pieces as they wish.  The logo art should be clean and precise, as it will be reduced to fit in a number of event-related items, including buttons that are approximately three inches in diameter. 

The contestants’ art will not be mailed back. However, contestants may pick up their artwork at the refuge after the contest has ended.   The only exception is the winning submission, which will become the property of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Contestants must submit their art work to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge by close of business on Thursday, March 30, 2012.

To submit a drawing, please send artwork to Sally Bowden at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 62, Chincoteague, Virginia, 23336.  For more information, call (757) 336-6122.

The Camp is full of fun and educational outdoor activities that explore the six priority uses of the National Wildlife Refuge System, said Park Ranger Aubrey Hall.

Activities can include crabbing, clamming, archery, surf fishing, bicycling and kayaking.  Day Camp is offered to children who have successfully completed 3rd, 4th, or 5th grades by summer 2012 and must be between 8 and 11 years old.

Applications for the children in the Woods Day Camp are now available at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center and online at ww.fws.gov/northeast/chinco.  A lottery will be held to select 14 participants for each session. Preference will be given to those who have not previously attended Children in the Woods Day Camp. Applications for the camp must be hand delivered or received in the refuge office by 5 p.m. on May 15. 

Three sessions will be offered this year.  There is a fee of $50.00 per participant, but scholarships are available.  There is a single application for June, July and August day camps. The sessions are:  Session 1: June 18 – 22, 2012 

Session 2: July 16 – 20, 2012

Session 3: August 6 – 10, 2012

If mailing, send application(s) to:

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Attn:  Children in the Woods Day Camp

P.O. Box 62

Chincoteague, VA 23336

The Children in the Woods Day Camp is sponsored by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.  To learn more and see memorable photos from past camps, visit their website at www.piping-plover.org. Go to the Kids Corner tab and click on Children in the Woods.

For more information, contact Aubrey Hall, Park Ranger, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge at (757) 336-6122 ext. 324.

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By Sonora Hannah

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.

Hannah teaches Min how to shake hands.

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. Once he realized that I was not going to hurt him, his fear began to melt away. I spent hours reading books aloud to him or just talking to him, getting him used to my voice and presence. I also introduced grooming tools to him and worked on the concepts of standing tied, leading, and picking up his feet. There is an entire world of things to teach a horse even when he is too young to ride!

When I first started working with Min, I had a tendency to become so frustrated with myself for not knowing how to deal with a situation that I would often wallow in a complete sense of hopelessness. I have since realized that I am much better off forgiving myself for my mistakes and persevering to acquire the knowledge I need to fix a problem. It is inevitable that I will make mistakes in training my first horse, but my biggest regret has been that I did not begin “formal” groundwork as soon as I had Min’s trust. I now feel it is very important to have a training program to follow in order to know what it is you are doing and what goals you are headed towards in your pony’s training. At first I simply took bits and pieces of advice from anywhere I could get it, but it wasn’t until I found world-renowned trainer Clinton Anderson and his program that I really began to make headway in Mincaye’s training. Unfortunately by the time I found Clinton, I had already allowed Min to develop some bad habits; thankfully, by following his method, I am beginning to see those bad habits unravel and disappear.

Mincaye has always been highly curious, full of energy, and just a tad bit devious. He is the smartest equine I have ever met, which in the one sense is in my favor, but it also means I need to study hard so that I will know what to do in any given situation when working with him. The pushy, disrespectful behavior I allowed him to develop in the beginning has proved to be one of my biggest challenges. However I am learning to become the kind of leader Mincaye can respect, and that is, I believe, the key to being a good horse trainer. Being consistently clear and concise with your cues, always rewarding the horse for giving the correct response, and taking the time to build on his successes (never expecting too much too soon) are all important things to remember in training horses. Body language, too, plays a monumental role in communicating with horses, because that is the language they use with each other. Horses are amazingly intelligent creatures, and they learn very quickly when we take the time to “speak” to them in their own language rather than enforcing our ideas on them without so much as asking.

The first thing I ever really taught Mincaye was how to shake hands. I can still remember the absolute thrill I felt when I saw that he had made the connection between my cue and the action of lifting his foreleg! I continue to feel an overwhelming sense of joy and accomplishment whenever I teach Mincaye something new. I work with him every day that I can, but with the snowy, soggy winter weather and no arena or round pen, I have to be careful of slippery footing. For this reason I am anticipating the coming of sunny weather more than ever! When things dry out again, I hope to work with Mincaye as many as six days a week as he will soon be two years old and I am eager to prepare him to start under saddle. The time I have spent and have yet to spend working with Min from the ground is an invaluable part of training him to become a good riding horse; but most of all it provides a wonderful opportunity to build  a friendship which will last a lifetime.

Training my own Chincoteague Pony is proving to be every bit as magical an adventure as I thought it would be! My ultimate goal in Mincaye’s training is to ride him bareback and bridleless, but in the meantime I choose to glory in our journey as we continue to learn and grow together. Mincaye is beyond the shadow of a doubt my dream horse, and with him, every day is a priceless treasure.

Publisher, Wild Pony Tales

This is the time of year when the outstanding work of the biologists and park rangers at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the National Park Service is showcased, helped along of course by the arrival of the snow geese and other migrating waterfowl.

I sometimes worry that the year-long fallout from the alternative beach parking controversy will overshadow all that is good about having the Refuge so close, about having a place we can go where it is quiet and we can, at least for a few hours, give our minds a break.

No matter what our views are on the future of beach parking and refuge management let’s not forget to give credit to the highly qualified and dedicated staff members who keep the place running every day of the year. I do not say this tritely or lightly.

I have taken our writers to Assateague many times to gather information for the stories on this website and I cannot recall an instance when our sources – I mean Lou Hinds, his managers, the biologists and park rangers – were not helpful and knowledgeable. Most of the people at the Refuge have degrees it took them years to obtain.

When I was teaching journalism in middle school I would sometimes have a student working on a class assignment call Amanda Daisy, the wildlife biologist, right from class, a real life interview by a 6th or 7th grader.

On a sad note I want to mention a park ranger who was especially helpful to us, Barry Brookshire. Barry was at the Refuge for 16 months until his contract ran out and then he returned to his home in Texas. But soon after he was found to have a malignant tumor in his colon. Doctors were successful in treating Barry but he has been unable to return to work. While at the Refuge he answered many questions for our young writers with all the patience of the teacher that he once was. At the Refuge Barry was what he called a “roving ranger,” moving around the pathways, talking to people, answering questions. If he didn’t know the answer he would go and find it.

Waterfowl Week is a special time at the Refuge. We have the event highlights in another story but what follows are more details, the times, places and descriptions of the activities coming up over Thanksgiving. Every single event is worth attending.

One of the big issues I have with the whole Assateague show is how easy it is to come here and never see a pony, or see them only at a great distance. When our niece, Marcy, was little I don’t think we got to see any ponies, except the ones at McDonalds for which I was thankful, until her third visit. And she only made it here once a year. We did see plenty of evidence, but few ponies.

By Misty Thornton

Co-Editor, Wild Pony Tales

On an hot early morning on Assateague Island, VA, bird-lovers, park rangers and visitors gathered to enjoy a day full of family learning as well as some games and entertaining exhibits.

As we crossed the Assateague Channel Bridge to the beautiful island of Assateague, the air was moist and the sun was hot, but nothing was going to stop the excitement that was fluttering in the hearts of children and their parents. At the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge parking lots were filling up fast as people from all around came to enjoy themselves at the International Migratory Bird Day Festival.

Tee shirts and carving lessons were available just ouside the refuge information center, along with hotdogs and bottles of water.

Walking through the first set of doors to the information center four exhibits lined the lobby’s walls. Carver Bill Cowen had on display about 20 of his best power carved birds of all shapes and sizes from an arrangement of owls to a bright red cardinal.

Mr. Cowen said one of his birds made second best in the world at a competition.  As a carving teacher of about 30 years he said, “I love carving. It’s just something you can sit back, relax, and not even think about it. It’s like everything around you disappears and only you and your carvings are left.”  Mr. Cowen has a place on the island but mainly lives in New Jersey with his family and his business.

Then, there was an assortment of birds, ducks, and fish carvings on the next table done by Ed Kuhn of Onancock, VA., and there was also an exhibit that had photographs of birds, sunsets and wildlife taken by Robert Wilson.

The next exhibit was by Donnie Thornton. His had bird feathers with hand painted fine art on the front. He’s lived on the island all his life and painting feathers is just what comes natural. He’s been painting island houses, ponies, birds and plants on feathers for 17 years now. “When I’m not painting, I’m playing with my horse, Nugget,” said Mr. Thornton.

Inside the information center there was plenty more for visitors to experience. The conference room was the place for children. There was face painting, woodcarving for kids, experts to talk about birds and fuzzy, live birds that would later get center stage in the Scales and Tales program in the auditorium.

Coming out of the conference room and back into the main center, were two main exhibits. Residents Wayne and JeanBonde had on exhibit a large variety of duck stamps representing each year since 1934.

“The migratory bird stamps have been around since the first one in 1934. We decided to collect them which meant we had to go back and get all the other stamps in the series that we didn’t have from 1934 until 1977, ” said Ms. Bonde. “We went to stamp shows trying to find as inexpensive  used ones as we could fine. It took us a while, maybe about 20 years.”

In the meantime, in 1977, they started buying a migratory bird stamp each year which keeps them up to date. The older used stamps, 1934 up to 1977, are all signed by the hunters using them.  “It is a requirement,” explained Mr. Bonde, “if you are going to hunt waterfowl, that you have one of the migratory bird stamps signed by you in your possession for that year. From 1977 on, all the migratory bird stamps I have are unsigned.

Right now a migratory bird stamp costs $15. “They can also be used to gain entrances onto refuges and state parks,” said Mr. Bonde.

Further along in the information center was an artist, Jenny Somers, who had hand painted over 50 pictures. She lives on Chincoteague. “Every moment of free time I have I’m usually painting the scenery and the world around me. What a better place to do that then right outside of my home.”

There were exhibits of photographs and more paintings. One thing that attracted the most attention wasn’t an exhibit at all. It was the live eagle cam which brings the eagles and on that day just-born eaglets right onto a TV screen in the information center. The actual nest is high in the pines just off the Wildlife Loop. With visitors and Wild Pony Tales cameras looking on the first of two eggs hatched right before our eyes. Visitors were overjoyed to see the mother caring for her baby. The two eggs were special to the refuge staff because the first three eggs had been destroyed in a wind storm.  (See separate story on the site.)

When the excitement died down it was time for the Scales and Tales presentation where Erica Mcgrath and Samantha Ford from the Conservation Corp. in Maryland gave detailed information on their animals they brought with them from Pocomoke River State Park. Their animals all have been wounded at some point in their life and have been taken under the park’s wing. The animals included from owls, turtles, falcons and even an Eastern King Snake. (See a separate story.)

The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the National Park Service both hold events and programs for families and children throughout the summer.

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By Windy Mason and Robert Boswell

Taking into account the economic impact of Assateague Beach to Chincoteague Island and all of Accomack County, the parking lots buried under 3 feet of sand by the powerful November storm, will be restored for use by summer; paid for by the National Park Service.

Lou Hinds, manager of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, said the cost is expected to run $600,000, somewhat less than previously thought. Mr. Hinds said at a meeting with community leaders on December 14 he gave a slide shown presentation, “This was the first time a lot of them had gotten the chance to see the actual damage.”

 He said representatives of the park service attended and announced a plan for restoring the parking lots. Also involved in the decision was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The plan for lots 1 and 2 was to dig out the parking lots, pull the shell and clay out, put the sand back down, and then put the clay and shell back on top of the sand.” He said, “Instead of them always getting covered with sand, actually raise them up.” Lots 1 and 2 will also be moved back a bit from the shoreline to lessen the impact of future storms.  Three and 4 are to be dug out and remain as they were. Currently, there are 961 spaces in being restored for visitor parking.

 Mr.Hinds said discussion at the meeting was about making sure that whatever they do out there is sustainable in the face of sea level rise, and is responsible for the American taxpayers dollars.  “There was acknowledgment from the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and I that not only does the town of Chincoteague’s economic base rest on the national seashore, but also the entire Accomack County,” he said.  “There is a large tourism industry in Accomack County, and it is also based somewhat on this shoreline out here. We want the community to be part of the future development and planning for those parking lots.” Said Mr. Hinds.

“This was a storm of historic proportion for many communities, Chincoteague being one of them,” He said, “It has given the community an opportunity to talk openly about its future and not just the future of the community, but also of Assateague Island, and how we’re going to plan for our economic development into the future. My first responsibility is still to the wildlife here on the refuge but that responsibility is also in full awareness of the economic tie to the communities.”

Future plans will apparently include an alternative transportation plan. Mr. Hinds explained, “The alternative transportation plan is very close to completion and the partners, which are the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Town of Chincoteague, the County of Accomack, and Northampton-Accomack Planning Commission, are getting the different chapters to read as we speak.” “Once all of the chapters have been reviewed, we’re planning on having a full blown public meeting tentatively scheduled for sometime in February,” he said.

This alternative transportation plan is not simply talking about parking cars and transporting people to the beach. “That’s one of the alternatives,” said Mr. Hinds. But the plan may include offsite parking, biking, city or public transportation and possibly water taxies to move people around to different parts of the island.

Mr. Hinds said he expected some of the ideas to be met with resistance because over generations, we’ve been trained to take our cars to the national parks and wildlife refuges, and have been encouraged to do that. But we’re learning that this love affair with the automobile, which is really just a hundred years old, is not sustainable, said Mr. Hinds. “It was a great idea. It brought the national parks and the American public together. However, we are realizing now, after a hundred years, that it may not be sustainable,” he said. “If you make the parking at a remote location, and then the ride to the beach is an experience of the beach itself, people will say, ‘Wow! That was cool!’ And, that’s what we’re striving for,” he said. Mr. Hinds said that the experience will begin wherever that parking may be. He also said there might be a trained interpreter, and your arrival out there would be part of the experience of seeing wildlife, seeing the beach.

By Cyndel Brunell

Clop, clop, clop. The constant beat of a horse going through your mind while you wait anxiously for the ponies to come in. You look around for any little head or moving color that will tell you the northern herd of the Chincoteague ponies is headed for the corral. You over hear a radio they’re a mile out and you look down a long road. The action is coming your way. It is the spring roundup of the famous Chincoteague ponies.

The day started early for us. I got up with my nanny’s cats jumping on my bed. They are friendly but annoying. Then my Mom came and picked my brother, sister and me up and I went to the parking lot at Bullfeathers to wait for Mr. Boswell to get there. This is our regular meeting place when we are headed over to Assateague to gather material for our website, www.wildponytales.com. Mr. Boswell is my journalism teacher at Nandua Middle. For those viewers not from this area, we live on the mainland, about 20 miles south of Chincoteague.

After Mr. Boswell showed up we left to pick up Lizzy. This is Elizabeth Fread, a 9th grader at Nandua High who is our editor in chief. With Lizzy in the car on this very early Saturday we headed up to Royal Farms to get coffee and some breakfast to wake us up.

On the way to Assateague we talked about the day and how it would unfold. We started to check out our cell phones, cameras, cleared memory cards and made sure we had all our batteries and extra compact flash cards with us. We had a five mile walk coming up, out to the northern, most distant corral the ponies would be driven into. The smaller, southern herd of ponies had been brought into the holding pen on Beach Road Friday evening. But the northern herd is much more secluded, kept away from the public, far into the wilderness. No cars, bikes or scooters are allowed, except official Chincoteague Fire Company vehicles or pickups pulling horse trailers for the cowboys who ride in the roundup. These ponies can be seen by taking the tour bus from the information center and from boats that cruse Assateague shores, but there is no other way. Most of the million-plus yearly visitors to Assateague don’t even know these ponies exist until they make the swim during Pony Penning.

We had packed for the walk – bottles of water, extra warm clothing, snacks, and rain gear. The only thing we did not need to take on this cool Saturday was bug spray. In the heat of the summer to come, the mosquitoes, flies and ticks are quite plentiful.

We made sure we had not forgotten anything, got out and started the long walk. We were easily distracted by the littlest chirp and hoot. Right when we were about to enter the gate at the corral we saw a deer we had thought to be a fawn at the time, but it turned out to be a Sika elk so we got pictures of that.

On our way we saw a Delmarva fox squirrel, on the endangered list, one of the island’s inhabitants that the Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to bring back in bigger numbers. We saw birds and more deer.

I was tiring out and so was Lizzy. When we saw those trucks and trailers around the bend we got so excited we walked a little faster. We ran to the first truck and trailer. We looked at each one, guessing how many ponies each would hold. When we got to the cow tracks, or road grate that keeps the ponies from crossing, we greeted some of the Buyback Babes, a group of ladies from all over who put their money together to buy a pony each year at the auction that is put back into the herd. This group is the subject of an upcoming story for wildponytales. Next we sat down and ate some snacks.

Then we were told by an official that everyone would need to be behind the fence. That was not a rule last time but we still got great pictures and it was so amazing watching the ponies and cowboys come in. The foals ranged from what looked to be newborn to older ones, born since the July auction.

There was one stallion that was so pretty but he had an attitude problem. He was going up to other stallions and biting and kicking and looking as if he owned the place. The stallions are used to having their “bands” of mares all to themselves in the wild of the island, but once in the corral it is a different matter. The bands become mixed together and the stallions don’t like it a bit. Once in the corral, the ponies got hay to eat and waited for their vet to arrive.

This is my first time at a roundup. I am a horse lover, former horse owner and hopefully a future horse owner. I sketch them, read about them, write about them and dream about them. I can easily understand why the cowboys are so drawn to the work they do. After seeing them up close, I realize they have a much harder job than I thought and the ponies are lucky to have these men on horseback looking out for them. As Mr. Boswell so often tells us, there are a thousand stories to tell about these world famous cowboys who come from all over to ride together over the rough territory that is the Assateague home of the Chincoteague ponies.

It is so exciting to be so close to the ponies that are seen around the world on television, in magazines and newspapers, about which books have been written, with “Misty” being the most famous of all.

It is getting kind of late and the nor’easter is blowing in. I put my rain gear over the equipment so it wouldn’t get ruined and we begin to pack up.

All the cowboys are cooling out their horses by walking them around and lots of the trucks and trailers have left. It is drizzling rain, time to head back. After one truck passes us, Mr. Walter Marks, a cowboy for 26 years and the father of one of my classmates, Tyler, offers us a ride. He doesn’t have to ask twice and had it not been for him we would have been caught in a down pour.

Soon we were back in Mr. Boswell’s car with him insisting we find a restroom and get something to eat. Lizzy and I won this debate though, and got him to take us the southern herd holding pen where Dr. Charlie Cameron is hard at work. One by one, the ponies are run into a chute where he gives them a squirt of worm medicine and takes blood through a needle for testing. The wild ponies do not welcome Dr. Cameron. They rear up, knocking into the wooden stanchion; they kick and try to take a nip out of his assistants who try to settle them down. It is a slow process and by mid afternoon, Dr. Cameron still has the northern herd of 100 plus ponies waiting for him.

We decide to head for the mainland. Back at Mr. Boswell’s it is time for more work. Our CF cards are full so we transfer all our photos into laptops and make a backup.

Then it is back on the road to our own homes. We are all tired, but we had an exciting day that I will never forget.

The writer is a 9th grade student who has since moved from Accomack County. She was associate editor of the website, www.wildponytales.info.