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Wordless Wednesday-- Chincoteague Edition

Assateague Lighthouse

View from the Wildlife Loop

A super-abandoned beach off of a service road offshoot. 

View of the super secret beach. Miles of empty on an 80° gorgeous Memorial Day. 

View off the Bivalve Trail towards Tom's Cove. 

5:30am sunrise on the beach 

Ponies from the Woodland Trail Overlook

Foal, up close from the north part of the park (only available via access 7mi road on foot) 

1996 mare. Very friendly, and probably remembers a time when the ponies used to roam the island freely and mug treats from tourists. 

The little band of ponies. 

Gorgeous cob-type pony stallion. Really stunning little guy. 




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Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 2, 2014 at 4:44 PM

    So neat! I may be ignorant, but do they just wander around?

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    1. AustenJuly 3, 2014 at 8:03 AM

      They are "wild" ponies, and used to have totally free range over the island. Now things are a little more controlled. The north part of Assateague is a Maryland State Park, and the ponies are much less regulated and allowed to mingle more with visitors. The south side (where these photos were taken) is a National Wildlife Refuge, so things are a bit more regulated. The ponies are fenced off the main areas where people are and the main trails. However, you can hike up the 7 mile service road through the woods and the center of the island and cross over a cattle grate to the part of the island where they allow the ponies full range. That's where the close up shots were taken.

      Since they've fenced the horses away from the tourists, they've become much less friendly than they used to be when people fed them treats constantly. Now they tend to wander just out of your reach. You can still get pretty close, though! :)

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  2. Liz StoutJuly 3, 2014 at 7:28 AM

    Poniesssssssssssssssssss

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  3. SarahWJuly 3, 2014 at 2:04 PM

    Love Chincoteague and Assateague! After having read Misty all I wanted growing up with a Assateague pony! My siblings got to go for the pony swim several years ago.

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    Replies
    1. AustenJuly 3, 2014 at 3:46 PM

      Awesome! My mom and I went several times when I was a kid, but always in April and never for pony-penning. The island is still pretty closed up in April, so getting to see it with people there and all the shops open is always a surprise for me!

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  4. AoifeAugust 5, 2014 at 4:50 PM

    That stallion in he last picture is swoon-worthy

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