Thursday, July 12, 2012

Chincoteague Ponies Make Beautiful Photographs And Documentaries

By Freida Lamb


Chincoteague ponies can only be fond on Assateague Island. This population was established over the course of several centuries and it has begun to follow its own distinctive genetic direction. It is actually smaller than other horses because the limited size of the habitat combined with limited food resources has caused the gene pool to drift towards shrinkage. The island is under active conservation management and new horses are intentionally introduced to keep the population healthy.

Assateague Island is a long sand bar about 37 miles long. It is located off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. It can be both austere and attractive due to its long beaches and barren sand. There is enough grass for the horses to eat, but it hardly amounts to pasture in most areas.

The occurrence of the horses is unusual in terms of genetics and the only thing similar is the Appaloosa wild horse population of the Southwest. The difference is the Appaloosas have a large range and a sizable population. The Assateague horses have a small range and are forced to inbreed. They cannot swim to the mainland.

Assateague is a paradise for tourists and photographers because it is hard to miss these attractive animals. They have a constant backdrop of sea. People can see them just moving along the island in a watercraft. Remember not spook the horses by being noisy.

This is a protected habitat so a person probably could not approach these animals without a permit. It would require some skill because these animals are still shy. Some might have been fed in the past but others might be scared of people.

A person can take their own pictures of chincoteague ponies or simply buy a few. Either way it is an attractive piece to put in a living room. Anyone who is an afficionado of horses should consider investigating this eclectic and rather scarce variety.




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