I'm A Descendant Of Assateague Ponies

My favorite Chincoteague Pony fact so far:

There are two herds, the Maryland herd and the Virginia herd. The VA herd, known as the Chincoteague ponies, aren't as wild as the Maryland herd. The Chincoteague ponies are more managed in terms of veterinary care. They are also rounded up for the pony penning every year.

The Maryland herd is much more wild. They're allowed to live and die without any veterinary interference. Their reproduction is the only thing that is managed, the mares are shot with a vaccination that keeps them sterile for a year. The mares can each only have one foal, and they have that foal when they're in their prime "foal-rearing" years. They are actually "shot" with the vaccination, so that humans never touch the horses.

But my favorite fact is this: all of the ponies eat whatever they can find naturally on the island, so their food is completely covered in salt. Because of this, they drink twice as much water as regular horses. This is what gives the Maryland ponies that bloated look. They all look pregnant.

I can relate.......