Assateague Island is known for its wild horses. All of these photos were taken inside the Assateague Island State Park.
Horses of Assateague
The pictures above and below were taken on the beach just after sunrise. Sometimes they like to watch the sunrise like we do. Sometimes they like to nap on the beach like humans.
Horses of AssateagueHorses of Assateague
This horse looks like it is waiting for someone to turn on the water. I understand they figured out how to turn on the faucets. However, the sign placed behind the faucet may be preventing it from doing that. A park worker was in a vehicle close by. For safety of the horse and humans, one needs to stay at least 40 feet away from the horses.
Horses of Assateague
This younger horse was utilising the fence to scratch himself. If you go to the state park or the national park at Assateague Island, Maryland there are a variety of places you can spot a horse. Just do not get close, they are wild.
I made a short trip to Assateague Island, Maryland for a few days to meet friends who secure a campsite every year. To get the week they want, they have four devices up and ready to click at the moment the campsites go up on the website for that week the following year. One device got the reservation. I guess July is the harder month to try to reserve because schools in the southern U.S. and north both have off that entire month, whereas June and August they don’t.
This horse was on the beach at sunrise at the state park camper’s beach. I was there three days and two of the days at sunrise the horses were there to watch the sun come up. The beach is a short walk from the campsites and over a dune. It is worth getting up at 5 or 5:30 to watch the beautiful sunrise with the added bonus of horses!
What is one event in the summer that involves watching wild horses? If you are in the Assateague Island, Maryland or the Chincoteague Island, Virginia area in July it would be one of the pony swims. This year I was lucky enough to see it, even if it was from a great distance.
If you get there early enough you can park at the parking lot across from the Carnival Grounds. Otherwise you can park at the Chincoteague Municipal Center. There are shuttle buses that take you from the Municipal Center and stop at points south along the way to Memorial Park where viewing is free.
Leaving Assateague Island
Salt Water Cowboys leading the wild horses into the water from Assateague Island.
To say this was far away from where I was standing is an understatement. I had a zoom lens with 1.4 added on and these are heavily cropped. The pictures above and below this paragraph are the first leg of the swim. It is a short swim.
I brought my kayak, but did not get there early enough to find out where I could park and put into the water. No public access was marked for kayaks on the maps I was given.
2nd Leg of the Journey
Horses swimming the second leg of the swim ending on Chincoteague Island near Pony Swim Lane. As you can see booking a seat on a tour boat gives you the best view.
Obviously the best view in the house is from a boat. There are some charter boats that I understand you need to book well in advance. Private docks that were far away with a better view than Memorial Park required $200 fee and you had to sign up well in advance.
Resting on Chincoteague
The horses rested here for an hour or more.
After they make the swim they rest and cool down on marshland on Chincoteague Island next to Pony Swim Lane. There are places around where they corral them that you can view them up close before they move on.
Evidently this dock or pier you needed permission or you had to pay a fee to get on. I asked if I could, they said no. Some of these things I understand need to be booked long in advance.Salt water cowboys kept the herd from getting too close to the fence.
Pony Parade
The police led the parade followed by evidently the governor of Virginia. I had no idea who he was until I asked two people standing next to me. I live in another state.
The parade started as they herd the horses down Pony Swim Lane. From there they turn onto Ridge Road going South then Beebe Road heading west. Then they make a turn north onto Main Street. After that they herd them to the Carnival Grounds north of Bunting Road. This was the parade route this year.
Some of the salt water cowboys in the lead.
These are wild horses. Do not get close. They will bite. A few times I saw horses try to make a run for it going off the road into people’s yards. The cowboys directed them back onto the road.
Local support
Carnival Grounds/ Auction Location
One of the young horses for sale.
The horses are brought to the Carnival Grounds. The day after the parade they were auctioned off. Horses that were not bought swim back Friday after the Pony Swim and auction.
The fire department sells food and tee shirts at the fairgrounds. I did not see any rides operating. It may have been due to Covid.
Movie
The movie theatre plays Misty.
There is a movie theatre north of the Carnival Grounds that plays Misty for free on some days the week of the Pony Swim. Misty of Chincoteague was a book written by Marguerite Henry. She also wrote other books about the horses. A film adaptation of the book was made in the 1960s. It was about a real horse bought from the local auction. At the movie premiere they put the horse footprints in front of the theatre. There is also a statue of Misty on Main Street south of the theatre on the west side of the street. I was told the production used many local people in the movie outside the main characters.
I recommend this event for most people. If you have children or grandchildren you could read the book by Marguerite Henry before you visit and see the movie while you are there. If you love animals this would be a chance for you to see many wild horses up close during the parade and auction. This long standing tradition is a bucket list type trip that many would enjoy. As with any event look online to see when it occurs next year and plan well in advance.
Where can you go to see wild horses and enjoy a beach at the same time? One place is Assateague Island in Maryland. The following pictures were taken early morning at Assateague State Park. This park is next to the Assateague Island National Seashore where there are also wild horses.
Being friendly or true love?Watching over the new oneThe friendly one
Two out of the three mornings I was there I saw horses at sunrise on the beach. They will wander through the campgrounds at the state park and national park. They say to keep a distance away from them as they are wild and can charge. I tried to keep a distance, but the one above kept getting close to me. He was good at posing for pictures.
Go some place different and experience something you have not experienced previously. It will enrich your life.
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