Chincoteague

 

 

The Chincoteague Pony, now a registered breed, descends from the 'wild' horses on Assateague Island, a 37 mile long barrier island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia.  The 'wild' horses on Assateague are actually feral animals, meaning that they are descendants of domestic animals that have reverted to a wild state.

Despite the often told tale of the horses swimming to Assateague from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon, the most plausible explanation is that they are the descendents of horses that were brought to Assateague in the 17th century by mainland owners to avoid fencing laws and taxation of livestock.

At certain times of the year, conch shells are very plentiful.

We found a few!

The kids enjoyed the beach, the lighthouse and of course searching for horses.  They even had one to take back with them!