The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-07-07
WILD HORSES,
ANIMALS THAI
ROAM THE VIRGINIA ISLANDS.
Descendants of BIooded Stock-They
lave in the Marshes, and
Are Rugged Little
T. uines.
ARGE sections OF the Atlantic

or less continuously from the canes of
Delaware to those CT Virginia, and
along the coast of the Carolinas. The
animals are lean, spruce little ponies,
famed Tor their small stature, their
strength and endurance.
Their origin has for many wears
been matter of conjecture, though
many theories exist, the most popular
OF winch claims them to have descend.
ed from European horses wrecked on
these coasts en- route to the early col
ONES. In fact, the origin of the Chin
cotteaSue pony has been practically
established by statement found a few
years since IN an old record of the
Commonwealth Of Virginia, which saws
that IN 1915 u shipload of blooded
horses sent from England by the Lon
don Company to the colonists of
Jamestown was wrecked on Assateague
shoals IN n severe storm while making
Tor the mouth Of the Chesapeake, and
that the Chincoteague Indians, who
quoted the survivors of the crew aud
cargo across the bay, were rewarded
by the gift OF n number of the horses.
which they took with them upon their
return to their island homes. 1t is
natural to suppose that the horses
outllved their savage masters and TINT
under the hardship and exposure to
which they were subjected in their
bleak and desolate home, they have
deteriorated greatly and become the
dimlnutlvo but sturdy little animals
of to-day.
The Chincotea8ue ponies seldom ex.
ceed thirteen hands in height. They
are corhpactly built, but always mean
and ungainly in carriage. In color
they are very much like other horses.
beln8 black, gay, sorrel and bay; but
the prevailing color of the wild pony
IS rusty brown, due to constant ey-
posture to the SUI. They are timid
and exceedingly shy. The islands
upon which they live are only n few
ieet above the sea, and are principally
IeVel stretches of sand with little or 40
grass, edged on the ocean by the roll.
ing sand dunes and the surf beyond.
and along the bay by low marshes n
rev rods In Width, traversed and in
tersected by numerous creeks and
channels few feet wide, aud shallow.
muddy sluices extending from the bay
INTO the levels toward the ocean.
Ilese are covered with rank growth
OF grass OF two or three varieties. very
green IN color, aifording good pastur.
age for the herd. This grass. dv1no in
winter, retains much of its nutriment
anu serves as m excellent provender.
IL Is often moved while green, dried
and housed for the use of domestic
STOCK. When taken from the marsh
to be broken the ponies are entirely
ignorant OF the nature Of corn and
grain and have to be taught to eat
them.
Inc wild horses seldom stay in one
locality for more than twentv-four
hours. Ttey move in herds of 100 or
more, but, unlike the horses of tho
plains, they have no recognized leader.
staying together as if by mutual con
sent. Many years of exposure have
htted them to stand the storms of the
winter, which on this coast are fire.
quentiy severe and of long duration.
Inc only protection they have from
the cold northeast winds, which often
blow with unremitting vigor for sew.
eral days, is afforded them by the sand
NUS and the few scattered clumps of
pine trees which stand at rare inter
yaIs between the levels and the margbes
Often In the later months of the win
ter, when the storms are moro severe
ana OF longer duration than in Novem.
Der or December, the whole beach is
inundated and the horses are driven
TO the tops of the hills, where thcv re-.
main huddlei together for warmth for
several days without food and for n
LONGER period without water. the fresh
springs from which they drink being
sllted by the tide The ocsap. on
enemy IN winter, proves in the scorcb.
ing sun OF the summer months n friend
During the hottest part of the dav.
when compelled by the mogquitoes
and gnats to leave the marsh. tho
ponies stand knee deep in the surf.
cooled by the waves and free from the
insects. which rarely follow them from
the grass. In the cooler hours of the
evening, when the wind from the sea
tu0dues IN measure tue attacks of
the pests, they return to the pasture
and feed often through the entire
night and early morning, until tbev
are again compelled to take refuge in
the water.
These rugged beasts live and in.
crease in numbers at the yearly rate Of
'bout thirty three per cent. 4 few OF
The Older horses, and au occasional
colt, succumb to tho rigor OF the win.
Ter, but strengthened by the moro
temperate weather OF spring and al.
tumn they are, with few executions
equal TO tho extreme temperatures of
the intervening Seasons. In spripg.
when the ponies arc exhausted bv the
wet and cold Ofthe preceding months.
the losses oro greater than in any of
tho other seasons. These, with tho
very few deaths of the summer. are
due TO disease, suTocations in the
quicksonds which exist in some porfs
OF tho levels, and drowning i'm tbe
siuiccs, from the muddy bottoms of
which, when imbcdded i'm nm attcmpt
to ford, they con with difficulty extrl.
cate themselves. The yearly rate of
loss is much less than tho rate Of in
crease, and averages ten Co a herd of
one hundred The ponies. thouoh
wild, arc oil claimed by the islandeTs
8 great number Of ponies have been
improved 10 size and strength By the