Ponies in the Surf

Ponies in the Surf
by Patrick L. Henry
20 7/8" by 15"
Framed Size 30 7/8" by 25"
Edition of 500

Conservation Framing
Each double mat may vary from print to print according to which frame you choose. If you would like to
have a particular color of mat just call 1-302-875-2258 to place your order. The best matching color is used for
each individual print and is not always the color shown here.

Each print is framed using Conservation Acid Free & Lignin Free, Alkaline pH buffered matboard & backing.
We use non glare glass, You may call us to request regular glass if you like, Other styles of glass are available.
In conservation framing, We use only Museum Quality materials and procedures that will have no adverse
effects on a piece of artwork and will protect the artwork from external damage.

The herd of wild ponies is one of the unique treasures of Assateague Island. The ponies often wander the beaches, the roadways and trails, the campgrounds and marsh areas of the island. There are two separate herds of ponies on the 37-mile-long island separated by a fence at the Maryland-Virginia state line.

Legend has it that sometime in the 1600s, a Spanish galleon was shipwrecked off the coast of Assateague. Aboard the ship was a load of mustangs and when the ship went down, many of the horses swam ashore to Assateague and survived. While no proof has yet been found to support the story, historians do know that horses have been on the island for at least two centuries. Many were placed there by mainland farmers who sought free pasturage while avoiding livestock taxes and the expense of fences.

Today, these ponies live in the wild, adapting to their environment by eating scrub brush, dune and marsh grasses and drinking fresh water from natural ponds. Rangers urge visitors not to feed or pet the ponies. While they appear tame, they can be unpredictable and may bite or kick.

PONY SWIM:

Each year on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July on the southern end of the island at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, the Volunteer Firemen of Chincoteague carry out the annual "pony swim." The firemen are the owners of the Virginia herd. On Wednesday, the Virginia herd, including new foals and colts, is rounded up and swum across the shallow bay at slack tide to the Island of Chincoteague. They are then driven down Main Street to the Firemen's Carnival Grounds for a night of rest. The next morning, on Thursday, an auction takes place and a number of ponies are sold to qualified buyers. This keeps the herd size down to a reasonable number. The next day the rest of the ponies swim back across the shallows to the Virginia portion of Assateague.

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