Salt Water Cowboys......

The Chincoteague Pony Swim

"The famous annual "Pony Round-up" and "Pony Swim" 

is held each year during the month of July on the last Wednesday of the month. 

The Chincoteague Volunteer Fireman (Salt water Cowboys)

herd the ponies off their island and through the sea water channel to Virginia. 

Horses and their ponies swim 

from the Virginia side of Assateague Island to 

Chincoteague Island 

under the watch of the Saltwater Cowboys. 

The wild horses belong to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, which has auctioned colts and foals for 79 years to raise money.

I have always wanted to go.

Always.

Running free-

The ponies live on the islands of Chincoteague and Assateague off the coast of Virginia and Maryland.

" The Ponies are a race of small hardy horses, compact and good natured. The legend is that these ponies swam ashore from a Spanish Vessel which had capsized off the coast, around the century 1600. Once on the islands they became stunted under the harsh environment. To keep from starving they ate coarse saltmarsh cordgrass, American beachgrass, thorny greenbrier stems, bayberry twigs, seaweed and even poison ivy. Because they drink salt water, they have an appearance of being "fat" or "bloated". The horses bred down to the unique breed we know today as the Chincoteague Pony."

I have great memories of riding a horse through river crossings while camping.

If you haven't ever done it.....

put it on your 'before I kick the bucket list.'

They swim just like doggies 

and there you are 

sitting up on their back while they swim across.

It is amazing.

Do it.

Does this not look like fun???

Have a sweet weekend.  XXX's

Would you want to see this?

"Today there are two groups of these ponies descended down from the only 17 original Arabian Horses in which survived the famous shipwreck. The two groups are "The Maryland Herd" and "The Virginia Herd". The Virginia Herd consists of approximately 130 head and is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Dept. The ponies graze in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Virginia portion of Assateague Island. The Maryland Herd consists of approximately 140 Head and is owned by the Maryland Park Service" http://www.pony-chincoteague.com/history.html

Images: www.baltimoresun.com

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