Chincoteague Pony Outcrossing History

The main and popular theory of the breed's early origins is the ponies were from a shipwrecked Spanish Galleon. It is also occasionally stated that the first settlers discovered that Assateague was already inhabited by wild horses. The second origin theory is that that Chincoteague and Assateague residents kept their horses (also sheep and cattle) loose on Assateague to avoid fenced livestock taxes. Whatever the origin, it is well documented that there have been feral horses on Assateague since the 1700's.

There have been deliberate introductions of different breeds throughout its history, namely by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, owners pre-dating the Fire Department's ownership of the feral herds, and of private breeders. The outcrossing has been for a variety of reasons, to reduce inbreeding, introduce colors, make up for herd losses, improve breed conformation, etc.

A study published in 1991 titled Genetic Variation and its Management Applications in Eastern U.S. Feral Horses took samples from 60% of the Virginia herd in April 1987. The study found a close genetic resemblance between the ponies and two breeds primarily, the Paso Fino and the Shetland. A genetic resemblance was also found to the feral island herds of Cumberland Island and Ocracoke Island. The study found a higher level of genetic diversity in the herd compared to the other feral Atlantic herds which was possibly "the result of repeated introductions of horses to the island from a variety of sources."

Color can give us some ideas as to when outcrossing was done and to the breeds involved. Many sources state that the breed was originally all dark colors. Leonard D. Sale wrote in 1896 in The Horse Review of Chicago that, "The prevailing colors are bay, brown, chestnut and light sorrel. I have never yet seen a grey, piebald, dun, or yellow purely bred island pony." However an earlier article from 1891 in the New York City newspaper The Sun stated that the ponies "are most frequently black, gray, sorrel, or dun." A Washington Post article from 1902 stated that the prevailing colors were bay and black and in 1910 the Pittsburgh Times wrote that "Light bays and sorrels predominate. A 1912 Baltimore Sun article stated that the ponies were "black for the most part, white sometimes" and "a dull mahogany red". A fair number of brown bays will be found, while black. White and dun-colored ponies are exceedingly rare." In 1923 a St. Petersburg Times article described the ponies as "bay, gray, dun, black, and sorrel", however less than a decade later a Delmarva Star article describing the 1930 Pony Penning described the ponies as "many colored", with blacks, browns, bright bays, and so many with spotted coats.
*The dun mentioned in this section is likely buckskin in modern terms. Buckskin was commonly traditionally called dun and it is still called so in parts of Europe.

There have been several incidents that have greatly reduced the number of ponies in the feral herd and as a result ponies previously sold have been reintroduced and other breeds have also been introduced. A nor'easter in March 1962 killed 40-50 ponies. The nor'easter was written about in Stormy, Misty's Foal by Marguerite Henry. Misty and Stormy famously fundraised to purchase back ponies previously sold to rebuild the feral herd. The Wild Horse Dilemma by Bonnie Gruenberg quotes a former Chincoteague resident that due to the decimation of the feral herds after the storm select mares with good conformation were bred to stallions of other breeds. In 1975 almost half of the feral herd tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA), also known as swamp fever, and had to be euthanized. 38 Mustangs were added to the herd in 1977 due to these losses. Two Spanish Mustang stallions were donated by Bob Evans in 1976 after he had heard about the EIA losses. The microorganism pythium insidiosum found on Assateague causes the flesh destroying disease pythosis, also known as swamp cancer. Pythosis had killed members of the feral herd over the years, but in the late 2010's there was an increase in infections with eight deaths just in 2018. A vaccine was developed and administered to the feral herd and there have been few deaths since. Several ponies were donated to the feral herd, born both on and off Assateague, to make up for the losses.

Due to the breed's complicated history and the scattered nature of Chincoteague breed registries through the years the boundaries can be muddled as to what ponies are considered partbreds or purebreds. The guidelines used here are if the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, or the feral herd owners prior to their ownership, did the outcrossing then the resulting partbred ponies are considered purebred Chincoteagues. Additionally, if a partbred pony was generally regarded to be a purebred Chincoteague it is considered to be a purebred. There are historical and modern examples of partbred ponies from private breeders that were regarded as purebred Chincoteagues and some that were regarded as partbred.

The amount of outcrossing in the feral Chincoteague Pony herd will appear to be lessened based upon the National Wildlife Refuge's 2014 Chincoteague Pony Management Plan. The plan states, "To preserve the integrity of the registered Chincoteague pony breed, the CVFC will no longer introduce foreign stock into the Refuge population. If deemed necessary by CVFC in consultation with a geneticist and the Refuge Manager one "healthy" foreign mare may be introduced to mate with a stallion and give birth. Shortly thereafter, the foreign mare will be transported off the Refuge. The same mare's progeny will remain behind to continue the linage of this new genetic input." The only outside blood introduced to the CVFC's feral herd since 2014 have been off island born ponies and island born ponies donated back.

Early 1900s Chincoteague Ponies. Photo from The Waterman and Wild Ponies by Robert Mears.

Photo from an undated postcard prior to pinto being introduced.

Arabian

Photo List of Half Arabian Chincoteague Ponies

An article from the Virgina newspaper Radford News Journal in 1977 stated that new stock was crossed into the feral herd every 9 to 10 years and Arabians were one of the breeds used. The Wild Horse Dilemma by Bonnie Gruenberg quotes a former Chincoteague resident that due to the decimation of the feral herds after the Ash Wednesday storm of 1962 select mares with good conformation were bred to stallions of other breeds including Arabian.

Al-Marah Sunny Jim was donated to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department in 1965. He was bred to Stormy twice, the resulting foals being Rainy and Misty II. He was likely also released out on Assateague.

Al-Marah Sunny Jim

Skowreym was leased to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department for two years in the early 1960's. He was an accomplished endurance horse. He is likely the source of a few grey Chincoteagues photographed in that time period.

Skowreym

Skowreym and Patricia Hewitt, 1962, Photos from a Dispatch article

A bay tobiano stallion named Gordo was reporedly a half Arabian. Gordo was born in 1974 and was pictured in The Assateague Ponies by Ronald Keiper. He had at least three daughters in the feral herd.

Buckskin stallion Gunner's Moon was also reportedly a half Arabian. He was put on the Assateague in 1982/1983 and had four daughters kept in the feral herd.

In 1995 the Arabian stallion Premierre was brought to Chincoteague by Stanley White of Grandeur Arabians. He was initially bred to mares at the Leonard Farm. Premeirre was later released out on Assateague where he died in 2000. He was listed as Premier by the Chincoteague Pony Association. The pick of the 1996 foals were kept and sold as buybacks in either the 1996 or 1998 auctions. The ponies from this group are Attitude, Copper Moose, Courtney's Boy, Leonard Stud, North Star, Phantom Mist, Sockett to Me, Susie Q/Lady Hook, Wild Bill, and Carnival Lady. The mares Mooney, Vixen, and Woofie owned by the Leonard family on Chincoteague were sired by Premierre.

Premierre, 1999, Photo by Amanda Geci.

The bay stallion Striking Cadet was lent to the CVFC by Stanley White after Premierre died. He was listed as Striking Gold by the Chincoteague Pony Association. He was not released on Assateague but kept at the Carnival Grounds to breed mares from 2000-2002. His 2003 daughter WH Island Breeze is the ancestor of feral ponies WH Windy's Beach Boy, WH Night Rain, WH Summer Breeze, WH Sundance, WH Wildfire, WH Surf and Sun, and SCC Misty's Sunburst.

Two stallions owned and bred by Stanley White were loaned to the Leonard Farm on Chincoteague. Both stallions were sired by the bay Arabian stallion Calistoe and out of Chincoteague mares. Misty's Dynasty sired foals at the farm in 2008 and 2009. A well known daughter is Martha. Grandeurs Thunder sired foals there in 2012 and 2013.

Assateague Horses

The Maryland herd of Assateague Horses, managed by the U.S. Park Service, and the Virginia herd of Chincoteague Ponies, managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, have been separate since 1968 when the Park Service took over their management. A fence on the state line separates the two. The original Maryland herd consisted of 21 ponies, 9 stallions and 12 mares, and there has been no deliberate outcrossing into the Maryland herd since then nor have there been CVFC ponies transferred to the NPS.

Assateague Horses frequently cross the state line fence, but they are usually rounded up and returned to Maryland or return on their own. There have been multiple Maryland ponies whose ownership have been transferred to the CVFD. Some were transferred due to being problem horses and others continually crossed the state line fence after being returned.

The National Wildlife Refuge's 2014 Chincoteague Pony Management Plan states, "On occasion, CVFC also replenished the herd with "problem" ponies from ASIS. These feral horses had been involved with visitor/pony conflicts in the campground areas. Only their offspring were sold. It has been the policy of CVFC to no longer supplement their herd with NPS northern herd animals. These animals proved to be problematic for the Fire Company and the Refuge. However, these animals may have a more direct genetic link to the current Chincoteague ponies than past genetic introductions."

Transferred in 1984
Ronald Keiper wrote in The Assateague Ponies that in the spring of 1984 a roundup was done of the most problem horses based on data that was collected the previous summer. Thirteen ponies were transferred to the CVFC herd.
T2BG 1982 Pinto Stallion
N6AH 1983 Pinto Stallion
N6AG 1982 Pinto Mare

Transferred in 1986
N2BE 1980 Chestnut Mare
M15C 1978 Chestnut Mare
M15CJ 1985 Pinto Mare
N6AI 1984 Pinto Mare
Charlie/M17C 1978 Chestnut Stallion
N6A 1976 Pinto Mare
N6AJ 1985 Chestnut Stallion

Transferred in 1988
One of the stallions became a problem pony in Virginia and the CVFC may have found him a home off the island. A Daily Times article from July 27, 1989 said that a small brownish or light brown stallion had been sticking his head into cars and running into traffic so the CVFC was thinking of giving him to a farm.
M12A 1976 Pinto Mare
M12AI 1984 Roan Stallion
M12AL 1987 Pinto Filly
T2BEJ 1985 Pinto Stallion
John/J/M16 1973 Chestnut Roan Stallion
Photo from The Island Ponies by Barbara Ford and Ron Keiper.

M15E 1980 Chestnut Mare
Toby 1987 Chestnut Stallion
Killer 1984 Roan Stallion
T2BEI 1984 Pinto Stallion
T2C 1978 Bay Mare
Spike/T2CK 1986 Bay Stallion
M12AK 1986 Chestnut Mare

Transferred in 1989
Aggressor Bay Stallion
Chestnut Mare
Scar Face Chestnut Stallion
Scar Face's Mom Bay Mare
Bay Mare
T6E 1980 Chestnut Mare
T5AEJ 1985 Pinto Stallion
1988, Page from Field Guide to Assateague Horses by John Turner and Jay Kirkpatrick.

Hot Air Balloon/Top Gun/N6BF, a bay tobiano splash stallion, was transferred to the CVFD in 1991 due to being a problem horse. He was known as Top Gun in Virginia and had four daughters kept in the Virginia feral herd. Hot Air Balloon had two daughters in the Maryland feral herd.
1988, Page from Field Guide to Assateague Horses by John Turner and Jay Kirkpatrick.
Photo from A Portriat of the Wild Ponies of Assateague Island by Kevin Moore.

Transferred in 1994
Eight of the transferred horses were problem horses and four were young stallions that continually crossed the fence. Five of them were sold at the 1994 Pony Penning auction and the rest remained as part of the feral herd.
X10 Chestnut Stallion
N9BMP 1991 Chestnut Stallion, Sold at the 1994 auction
N4BMP 1991 Bay Stallion, Sold at the 1994 auction
Ponella/N4BMQ 1992 Bay Mare
M17JO 1990 Pinto Stallion, Sold at the 1994 auction
M17GP 1991 Pinto Mare
M17GPS 1994 Bay Colt, Sold at the 1994 auction
T5AFQ 1992 Pinto Stallion, Sold at the 1994 auction
N6BJP 1991 Chestnut Stallion
N6BKQ 1992 Pinto Stallion
T3DHP 1991 Bay Stallion, Sold at 1995 auction
Firestar/N2BHQ 1992 Bay Mare. Two daughters were kept in the feral Virginia herd that died without foaling.
2010, Photo by Amanda Geci.
Cutthroat/N4BM/Cherokee Princess 1988 Bay Tobiano Mare. Known as Cutthroat in Maryland and renamed Cherokee Princess in Virginia. No known descendants in the Virginia feral herd.
2005, Photo by Amanda Geci.

Roan Patch/X9/Cherokee Chief, a chestnut tobiano stallion, continually crossed into Virginia after being returned. Ownership was transferred in 1998 and he was renamed Cherokee Chief. He had nine daughters kept in the feral Virginia herd.
2005, Photo by Amanda Geci.

Spirit of Assateague/T3DHS, a chestnut tobiano stallion, continually crossed back into Virginia after being returned. Ownership was transferred in 2003 and he was renamed Yankee Spirit. He had one son and three daughters kept in the feral Virginia herd.
2011, Photo by Amanda Geci.

Glacier/X24R, a buckskin tobiano stallion, had ownership transferred in 2003. He was known as Twister in Virginia. He had one son kept in the feral Virginia herd.
2007, Photo by Amanda Geci.

Centaur/T5AGS, a bay stallion, crossed into Virginia and ownership was transferred in 2006. He was sold at the 2006 auction and was renamed A Perfect Storm. He had one son kept in the feral Virginia herd.
2005, Photo by Amanda Geci.

Canadian Bred Pony

Leonard D. Sale wrote in 1896 in The Horse Review of Chicago that an Assateague resident imported and released a "Canadian bred pony stallion" in an effort to improve the breed. The resulting ponies from the Canadian pony were described as being "course-haired, gummy-legged and large brute". The stallion also was apparently gaited as his descendants paced, "A few island ponies pace, but they carry an infusion of the Canadian scrub blood."

Chincoteague Ponies

Chincoteague Ponies born off the island or born on the island and returned have been added to the feral herd. The most famous instance is after the 1962 nor'easter where many Chincoteague were brought back to replenish the feral herd after being devastated in the storm. Reportedly in the 80's a stallion owned by a local firefighter was turned out in the herd for part of the year. The Chincoteagues can often bring in lines no longer in the feral herd or other breed outcrosses.

Rainbow Warrior appears to have been donated back. He is not pictured with the 1997 buybacks wintering at the carnival grounds. Had been rumored to be a Maryland transfer, but was not in NPS records. Reportedly a person recognized him years later as a colt she had donated back. Rainbow Warrior had one son and three daughters kept in the feral herd.

Witch Doctor was sold at the 1987 auction and was returned after he was grown and was a feral stallion for many years. He had the nickname "The New York Stud" from the state he returned from. Witch Doctor had eight daughters in the feral herd.

Daisey was sold at the 2004 auction to Don Thornton who donated her back to the feral herd in 2012. She was supposed to have been a child's pony but didn't have the temperament for it. Daisey has had multiple foals and one short lived daughter kept for the feral herd.

Chaos was donated back in 2008, but did not adapt well to living as as a feral stallion and was sold at the 2009 auction. He had one daughter that was kept in the feral herd.

Mystery was donated back in spring 2009. She had one daughter that was kept for the feral herd.

Fuzzy Peaches and Baybe were donated to the feral herd in 2011 by the Leonard Family on Chincoteague. Fuzzy Peaches did not adapt and died spring 2013 with no offspring kept. Baybe had multiple foals with three daughters kept in the feral herd.

WH Windy's Beach Boy was donated to the feral herd in August 2015 by the Beach Family of Pennsylvania. He is a great great great grandson of Misty of Chincoteague and is the first descendant to live feral on Assateague. The Beach family donated six mares and one colt in spring 2018. The mares are great great great grandfoals WH Night Rain, WH Summer Breeze, WH Sundance, WH Wildfire, Winter Moon, and great great great great grandfoal WH Surf and Sun. The colt Misty's Double Platinum did not adapt and was removed from the island the following summer. Chili was born on Chincoteague in 2016 and was donated back in 2018 by the Beach family. WH Summer Breeze, WH Sundance, WH Wildfire, Winter Moon, Chili, and WH Surf and Sun have foaled with daughters of WH Sundance and Winter Moon kept for the feral herd. WH Night Rain died winter 2021 and WH Sundance died summer 2021.

Tidewater Treasure, Millenium Midnight, and Good Ole Days Baileys Star were donated to the feral herd in December 2018. Tidewater Treasure and Millenium Midnight were sold at the 2000 auction and Good Ole Days Baileys Star was born on a private farm in Texas. Millenium Midnight did not adapt and returned to her donor spring 2020. The other two mares foaled in 2020. Good Ole Days Baileys Star died winter 2021.

Norman Rockwell Giddings was sold at the auction in 2018 and was donated back to the feral herd in October 2019.

Morgan

The Wild Horse Dilemma by Bonnie Gruenberg quotes a former Chincoteague resident that due to the decimation of the feral herds after the Ash Wednesday storm of 1962 select mares with good conformation were bred to stallions of other breeds including Morgan. An article from the Virgina newspaper Radford News Journal in 1977 stated that new stock was crossed into the feral herd every 9 to 10 years and Morgans were one of the breeds used. A Chincoteague Pony management plan from 2014 stated that "A wide variety of breeds such as Morgan, Welsh, Shetland, Arabian, and Mustangs were placed in the Chincoteague pony herd to increase genetic diversity and vigor among the present stock".

Mustang

Multiple sources state that twenty Nevada Mustangs were purchased from the Bureau of Land Management in 1939 and set free on Assateague.

In 1977 a group of 38 BLM Mustangs were added to the herd to fill a void left when half of the herd had tested positive with Equine Infectious Anemia in 1975 and had to be euthanized. A 1978 article in Equus magazine stated that 32 mares and and 6 stallions were adopted from a BLM adoption center in Susanville, California. An article from the Virgina newspaper Radford News Journal reported that solid bays, blacks, and greys were chosen with the goal to bring the Chincoteague herd back to the original solid colors. The Assateague Ponies by Ronald Keiper states that most of these Mustangs didn't adapt to the new environment and died within the first year. The Los Angeles Times reporting from the 1979 Pony Penning wrote that there were 15 suriving Mustangs. One of the Mustangs that survied was the stallion Circuit Breaker, whose BLM brand reads that he was gathered in 1974.

BLM branded stallion Circuit Breaker gathered in 1974. 1995, Photo by Amanda Geci

The famous stallion Broken Jaw, aka Pirate, was born to a bay Mustang mare that was one of the 32 Mustang mares introduced in 1977. She was in foal with him when brought to Assateague. While full Mustang Broken Jaw was born on Assateague and lived there until his death in 1994.

Broken Jaw/Pirate. Photo courtesy of Liz Spino

The Assateague Ponies by Ronald Keiper states that two buckskin Spanish Mustang (aka Barb) stallions were donated by an Ohio restaurant owner in 1976. An article from the Texas newspaper Bryan Times stated that the restaurant owner was Bob Evans and donated the stallions after hearing about Equine Infectious Anemia affecting the feral herd. The two stallions were from his personal Spanish Mustang herd from bloodlines that originated in Utah and New Mexico. It's unknown how long the stallions lived and if they have any descedants.

Another group of BLM Mustangs seems to have been introduced in 1981. A photo of an appaloosa Mustang mare and foal was contributed to The Colorful Chincoteague and the contributor said they were part of a group of new Mustangs. A September 1981 Sunday News article mentions the presence of appaloosas in the herd at that year's Pony Penning.

Appaloosa colored Mustang mare and foal, 1981, Picture courtesy of Paula

More Mustangs were introduced at some point in the 80's as there were two Mustang mares branded as having been gathered in 1982 in Montana. The mares survived in the feral herd into the 2000's and were the last Mustangs in the feral herd. The last mare, Distant Traveler, died in 2004.

The Chincoteague Pony management plan from 2014 stated that "A wide variety of breeds such as Morgan, Welsh, Shetland, Arabian, and Mustangs were placed in the Chincoteague pony herd to increase genetic diversity and vigor among the present stock".

BLM branded mare gathered in 1982 in Montana. Unbridled's Passion, 1999, Photo by Amanda Geci

BLM branded mare gathered in 1982 in Montana. Distant Traveler, 2003, Photo by Amanda Geci

Dark bay Mustang in the late 80s or early 90s, Screenshot from video by CLAP-E Productions

Paint

The Wild Horse Dilemma by Bonnie Gruenberg quotes a former Chincoteague resident that due to the decimation of the feral herds after the Ash Wednesday storm of 1962 select mares with good conformation were bred to stallions of other breeds, including Paint.

TripleAction Penny is the dam of Chemina Mist and Windjammer by the Misty great grandson Cyclone and is subsequently found in the pedigrees of a number of Misty descendants. Her descendants in the feral herd are WH Windy's Beach Boy, WH Night Rain, WH Summer Breeze, WH Sundance, WH Wildfire, WH Surf and Sun, Winter Moon, and CLG Maureen's Misty Moon.

Quarter Horse

The Wild Horse Dilemma by Bonnie Gruenberg quotes a former Chincoteague resident that due to the decimation of the feral herds after the Ash Wednesday storm of 1962 select mares with good conformation were bred to stallions of other breeds including Quarter Horse.

A buckskin Quarter Horse stallion was donated to the fire company in 1980. He was photographed as a member of the feral herd through 1984.

Quarter Horse Stallion in 1981 and 1984, Photos courtesy of Deb Noll

A Quarter Horse mare named Foxy owned by the Leonard family on Chincoteague had Chincoteague foals. A half Arabian daughter of Foxy sired by Premierre named Vixen has also had Chincoteague foals.

Shetland

A Philadelphia Times article from 1887 wrote that the locals believed that the horses aboard the wrecked ship were Shetlands. The writer described the ponies at the 1887 penning as, "In size the Chincoteague pony approximates that of the Shetland. The hair on their bodies is thick and shaggy and their manes and tails are long and glossy."

Many sources state that pinto was introduced into Chincoteagues through Shetland outcrossing. Once Upon an Island by Kirk Mariner states that Clarence Beebe imported a Shetland for breeding from which the many pintos found today descend. Ronald Keiper wrote in his book The Assateague Ponies that pinto was introduced in the 1920's. An Associated Press article from July 1925 states, "The strain is not so pure now as it was in former years. The Shetland pony together with other breeds has been introduced and the effect has wrought variety."

A Chincoteague Pony management plan from 2013 stated that "A wide variety of breeds such as Morgan, Welsh, Shetland, Arabian, and Mustangs were placed in the Chincoteague pony herd to increase genetic diversity and vigor among the present stock".

Tobianos at the 1931 Pony Penning. Oldest photographic evidence of tobianos found thus far. Screenshot from Universal Newspaper Newsreel

Thoroughbred

A source quoted in The Wild Horse Dilemma by Bonnie Gruenberg stated a Thoroughbred stallion named "Red" lead a band of mares on Assateague in the 1960's. This would be within the same era of the well documented Arabian outcrossing.

Stormy's oldest daughter, Windy, was sired by a Thoroughbred and was the result of an accidental breeding. His name is unknown at this time. The stallion was a racehorse trained by Ralph Beebe. Windy is "officially" listed in the Pictorial Life Story of Misty as being by a different stallion named Lightning.

Misty's Twilight was sired by the Thoroughbred Big Bluffer, however she is generally considered to be a partbred.

Wallops Island Ponies

Wallops Island is a neighboring island to Chincoteague and once also had feral ponies. When Wallops was purchased by the government in 1971 to create the Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge the ponies were incorporated into the herds on Assateague.

Welsh

Welsh is stated in several sources as having been crossed into Chincoteagues. One source stated that a chestnut roan stallion from Farnley Farm was sent to Chincoteague for three years and was bred to mares. The brief presence of sabino roan in Chincoteagues may have been the result of this outcrossing. A Chincoteague Pony management plan from 2013 stated that "A wide variety of breeds such as Morgan, Welsh, Shetland, Arabian, and Mustangs were placed in the Chincoteague pony herd to increase genetic diversity and vigor among the present stock".

Bayside Farm located near Chincoteague in Berlin, Maryland bred half Welsh half Chincoteague Ponies in the 1950's and 1960's. Many of them became accomplished show ponies. One of the farm's ponies, Bayside Prince Charming, was in the 1961 movie Misty playing the Chincoteague Pony Watch Eyes. Whether or not any of these part Welsh ponies became part of the Chincoteague bloodlines is unknown.

Bayside Prince Charming, 1961, Photo from a Daily Times advertisement.

Bayside Farm Chincoteague Pony Mares and their half Welsh foals, 1959, Photo from a Daily Times advertisement.