Wildlife
Assateague Island Wildlife Loop
A quick search reveals that the horses at Assateague Island are thought to be the descendants of horses that survived a shipwreck off the coast of Virginia in the olden times.
The more likely explanation is that mainlanders seeking to evade taxation and ownership laws brought their domesticated horses to barrier islands like Assateague and the neighboring Chincoteague Island, and the remaining feral horse populations are their descendants. Personally, I like the shipwreck story more.
These horses (true horses, not ponies) have adapted to unusual conditions on their island and are very tough for it. They withstand temperature extremes: summer island heat can be intense, not to mention the mosquitoes, and they form thick coats in the winter to stave off the cold winds and storms.
Assateague horses feed primarily on nutrient-poor marsh and dune grasses, whereas domesticated horses enjoy a more varied diet including fruit and grains. To combat their high-salt diet, they drink around twice the amount of water of domesticated horses—this combination results in a rotund, bloated appearance.
Wildlife
Assateague Island Wildlife Loop
A quick search reveals that the horses at Assateague Island are thought to be the descendants of horses that survived a shipwreck off the coast of Virginia in the olden times.
The more likely explanation is that mainlanders seeking to evade taxation and ownership laws brought their domesticated horses to barrier islands like Assateague and the neighboring Chincoteague Island, and the remaining feral horse populations are their descendants. Personally, I like the shipwreck story more.
These horses (true horses, not ponies) have adapted to unusual conditions on their island and are very tough for it. They withstand temperature extremes: summer island heat can be intense, not to mention the mosquitoes, and they form thick coats in the winter to stave off the cold winds and storms.
Assateague horses feed primarily on nutrient-poor marsh and dune grasses, whereas domesticated horses enjoy a more varied diet including fruit and grains. To combat their high-salt diet, they drink around twice the amount of water of domesticated horses—this combination results in a rotund, bloated appearance.