Smyrna times., 1873-11-26
" Jinkatig Ponies. 4"


Chicoteague Tor Jink-a-tig as it is called)
ponies are well and favorably known to the
hOrsemen of this peninsula, but it is notorious
that comparatively few know the origin of the |
pony or the place from where it comes. Chin |
colleague IslaRd, is in Accomac county, Virgl- |
MIA, on this Peninsula. 1t is here that the |
Chincoteague pony has thrived for two cen |
turtles, and at present colony of five hundred
wild horses can be found there.
These animals, it seems, have pedigree
which makes up iu age what it may lack in
other qualities; for tradition sscribes their
origin to pair of ponies imported from Eng
| land by Virginian of the +. +. V. sort, some
two hundred years ago, but which left a wreck
in disgust and were washed ashore of Aasss-
league Beach. From these two ponies have
descended the wild horses now careerlng over
the sand hills in that locality. Until within
the present century these ponies were not con
| sldered worth claiming or catching, and they
were allowed to Craze and race at their own
sweet will But as the pasture grounds passed
into the ownership of class of herdsmen, 1t
became fashion to lasso the little wild horses
and brand them with marks of ownership.
At present the island is said to contain about
five hundred of these diminutive horses, who
travel in herds and bear the brands OF various
owners Some thirty persons live on the
island, and claim to own oil this wild stock In
head.
Each herd is governed by male-a sort of
equine autocrat--whoSe authority is supreme.
, In former times he fought his way up to the
position of patriarch by thrashing all his rivals
sometimes driving them into the sea, where
they were drowned. All usurpers we're re-
morseessly expelled from the herd. and if
they were not killed they became bold bandits,
and hung about the marshes, capturing such
fam hop n In
from their protectors. With these they found
. ed new herds, and became prosperous patri-
archs themselves.
i The great day on the island is "penning
! day." although of late it has lost some of Its
= holiday attractions. Formerly the women, as
) well as the men, congregatsd at the ATLANTIC
Hotel to assist in identifying the ponies, and
the island beauties came because their fathers
= and mothers, and brothers and lovers were
= there. Tuesday, the 18th inst, was penning
:, day." but only few of the old ladies were in
attendance.
1t may be necessary to explain what "pen
!. ming" means. The owner OF Chincoteague
! ponies mark them with brand, generally or
. the left hip. So many of them look alike thai
i it would be impossible to identify them with
out this mark. The colts must be branded be
fore they leave their dams, and August is tht
! proper month. In order to catch the colt
i and af6x the brand the whole herd must b
y "penned."
y On Chincoteague Island the square in from
of the Atlantic Hotel is used for pen, but OI
- Assatcague large pen has been built on tht
~ shore, of stout pine logs. Men and boy
20 mount tame ponies and start out to bring IL
,e the herds. They gallOp to the pasture grounds
70 and, after much yelling, fast riding and sOm
"A little swearing, they manage to drive one o
u the herds down to the shore. Nearly all tn
ID houses on Chincoteague are built along tn
n sound, and, the yaads in front join each other
10 thus forming a continuous fence.
q When the herds get started down the shor
;; the riders press close after, yelling and whOop
IL ing, and there is lively chase until the avenu
q. that leads to the pen is reached. Here crow
of men are standing and they turn the head O
or the flying column into the square. Some Q
+ the ponies suspect treachery and run into tn
AZ water, but the riders dash after them, an
.r soon the whole herd is forced into the per
ii The colts stick close to their dams aud in a
~ the rearing and plunging about through th
;o pen they never become separated. A stou
'Iv man with long pole in his hand, and a loope
=" rope at the end of it, posts himself at tn
mouth of the pen, and as the ponies run pal
to he drops the loop over the head of one OF tn
~ colts. The little fellow plunges about an
IS shakes his head most furiously, but all to n
he purpose the men haul him out and thro
NO him on his right side An this time the brant
he ing iron has been heating at fire near b.
nj presided over by sturdy urchins who take d
tie light in this part of the performance. III
Ier face of the iron sometimes bears the init
nd letters of the owners name, and sometimes
70 is simple monogram, such as q circle
h;S square, to which the owner lays claim.
When the colt has been thrown a boy brin
od an iron from the fire, and it is stamped upt
49, the pony's hip. There is no cruelty in Il
mn operation, because the iron only burns thrcul
vo po the hair and scarcely scars the skin. | saw
.ho two year-od colt branded while standing
he his feet, and it did not seem to feel the bur
m ing.
sn' ,' By the time the colts in the herd have be
md branded, the drivers have driven another he
In, down the shore. The first are allowed to r
II back to their pasture grounds, while the ne
nd in order is driven into the pen, and the co
,act are subjected to the marking process. Sen
tst. times the colts escape till they are two a
4 7 even three years old, and then they are mu
~ harder 10 handle