- The Horses of Assategue Island are wild ponies that once were domesticated. Many theories say that 300 years ago, a Spanish ship drowned along the coast of Virginia. During the ship's sinking time, horses on board of the ship escaped by swimming to nearby Assategue Island.
- The wild horses of Assategue Island are actually pony size because of the poor in nutrient food that they eat. They eat saltmarsh cordgrass, saltmeadow hay, American beach grass and many more different types of food.
- Since the wild horses' diet is so salty, they drink twice as much water as a domesticated horse does, giving them a bloated appearance.
- In Maryland, no measures are taken to ensure that the wild horses are healthy and thriving because they want to maintain the herd's population. In Virginia, some wild horses are owned by the Chincotegue Fire Department and receive some veterinary care.
- Every last Tuesday and Wednesday of July, the horses of Assateague Island are brought to Chincoteague Island and are rounded up. Then, the new foals of the herd are auctioned off so that the herd does not get over populated on the limited space of Assategue Island. After the auction, the rest of the herd return to Assategue Island.
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| Horses of Assategue and Chincoteague Island on the Beach |
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| Horses of Assateague and Chincoteague Island Swimming |
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