Tuesday at the Holding Pens
The holding pens are big enough to hold both the northern and southern herds, having holding areas to help the Saltwater Cowboys move the herds around safely. Fresh hay, water and mineral blocks are provided for the ponies.
Tuesday of the Pony Penning Days is the day all ponies are looked at and checked over. Saltwater Cowboys pick which foals become "Buy Backs" and which ones are sold at auction. A buy back is a foal picked and tagged, and when bid on at auction it's understood that the foal will go back to the island to live out its life. The money for these foals goes back to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and the community. The ponies are checked to make sure they can make the swim on Wednesday morning. Mares with really small foals and older ponies are loaded onto trailers and taken to the carnival grounds. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and the Saltwater Cowboys take the safety and well being of the ponies very serious.
Pony Swim on Wednesday
I parked my car near Pony Swim Lane at 3:30 am that morning to get a good spot. I walked down in the marsh mud to a makeshift fence. I thought I was early, but I discovered others had arrived before me. The weather that morning had a sense of humor, again. It was raining off and on all the way up until the ponies hit the water. But that didn't stop thousands of spectators who came out to watch the 93rd Annual Pony Swim. The ponies cross the Assateague Channel at slack tide, when there is very little movement in the tides. This makes for an easy, safe swim for the ponies.
The Coast Guard gives the signal with a red flare, and the Saltwater Cowboys know that's when to start pushing the ponies into the water. Once the red flare goes off, you begin to hear the cracking of whips, the cheer of the crowd and clapping hands. Its a pretty exciting moment. The ponies hit the water and headed straight for us. The swim took only 5 minutes. Boats lined up to help guide and watch ponies and a few of the Saltwater Cowboys remained on our side waiting for the wild ponies.
The riders who brought the ponies from the other side of the channel rode over on a barge made to carry their horses. Once all ponies were safely on our side of the channel, the ponies are rested for 45 minutes to an hour. During this down time I made my way to Main Street where they parade the wild ponies to the carnival grounds.
When the Saltwater Cowboys brought the wild ponies in, the excitement was overtaking the crowd! Lots of smiles and happy tears. Once the ponies reached the carnival grounds they were given fresh hay, clean water and allowed to rest for the day.
Thursday: Pony Auction Day
Only foals are sold during the Pony Auction Day. Foals are sold to help raise money for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and the community. Some foals are sold to private homes and some are bid on but go back to the island to live. This helps maintain the herd and helps prevent inbreeding. It keeps the herd healthy. One of the babies sold for $20,000! It then went back to live out its life on the island. When the foals are brought into the arena, they are only handled with hands, again no ropes of any kind. A few foals were too young to leave their dams, but were bid on. These babies are sold but go back to their moms until the fall round up. They are microchipped with their owners info and then picked up at the fall round up. All foals are fully vaccinated, provided coggins tests and health certificates before they leave for their new homes.
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