Wild Horses Keep Draggin' Me Away...

I was relieved to read that our regional wild horse and pony population has been looked over and found to have weathered Hurricane Irene just fine.   The group of horses numbers 128, with a number of foals born over the spring.  These horses are believed to have come to the area with the conquistidor explorers of America.  Over the centuries they have run wild in a remote area near the town of Corolla, NC on the outer banks.  Here is a link to a Virginian Pilot article about the horses with a video of these magnificent wild creatures:

  http://hamptonroads.com/2011/09/wild-horses-outer-banks-ride-out-hurricane-just-fine

Just "up the block" on Virginia's Eastern Shore area are the wild ponies of Chincoteauge and Assateague Islands.  In order to control the herd and to raise money for the local volunteer fire department, some of the ponies are "driven" (as in a cattle drive) from Assateague to Chincoteague.  This is an amazing sight and draws visitors from all over the world.  The ponies are then sold at auction to loving homes.

These wild ponies were immortalized in Marguerite Henry's classic children's book "Misty of Chincoteague."  Misty's decendents still frolic in the surf where she once did.  This gives me such a sense of continuity, as I remember my mother reading the book to me when I was three.  Today I can take an hour's drive and see them for myself.