Return to Chincoteague

By Liz Tenney Jarvis

For centuries, wild ponies have roamed the islands of Chincoteague and Assateague just off of what is now the Maryland/Virginia coast. Originally thought to have been the descendants of horses introduced by settlers, extensive research has shown that they are in fact the survivors of a shipwreck.  

Spanish galleons, making their way to the colonies along the Atlantic coast of North and South America were subject to storms and going off course, could have had their cargo of ponies cast into the sea. These ponies then swam to shore and adapted by existing on fresh water in local marshes/creeks and subsisting on the native cord grass.

Starting as early as the 1700s, these feral ponies were rounded up and used by residents, but it was not until the mid-1800s that the annual “pony penning” became an event.  The annual sale of young foals was established as a fundraiser for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company in the early 1900s. Author Marguerite Henry captured the legend of these ponies in her 1947 classic, “Misty of Chincoteague.” Generations of readers have been captivated by their spirit, strength and hardiness.  

Thousands flock every year to experience the “swim” as ponies are driven by the “salt water cowboys” across the Assateague Channel where visitors can relive their childhood dream to see a real “Misty” or “Stormy.” 

It was through this annual fundraising auction that a family in Purcellville came to have a permanent care lease of a Chincoteague pony, named Cricket. The Bills family keeps Cricket while Emily Calle, the owner (friend/Sweet Briar College classmate of Katrina Bills), lives in Austria. 

Cricket was bought by Calle at the 2001 Chincoteague Pony Penning (pony #83) and as Calle raised her, she proved to be every bit of her Chincoteague ancestry – hardy, smart, clever and quick. When Keara Bills, age 10 at the time, had outgrown her Shetland pony, the timely call came from Calle as Cricket needed a new home and a new “job.” 

Having ridden Chincoteague ponies on previous visits to the island, Keara and her mother Katrina, knew that Cricket would be a match. It was only five minutes after Cricket’s arrival that Keara said, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to take Cricket back to Chincoteague and ride on the beaches there?”

Katrina Bills states that the idea of making the trip did stay in their minds for three years but the weather had to be just right. As is the case on the coast there, Chincoteague and Assateague are subject to sudden storms and high winds. A horse trailer on the bridge from the mainland would not be able to cross with any sort of gale wind warning. 

The Bills had to cancel the trip three times before they were able to load up on Mother’s Day this year.  They met up with two other Chincoteague ponies brought by another Sweet Briar College classmate, Angie Abell, a native of Chincoteague. The idea was for the four to ride along the shores of their ponies’ “motherland.”

Having done the research as to where they could ride (the U.S. Park Service website), the trip from Purcellville was smooth. Once off of the trailer, their eyes wide, the ponies pawed at the sand inquisitively as if to say, “What is this?  Where is the grass?”  Cricket had not been back to Chincoteague since she was a foal 22 years ago.  

Katrina says, “She did look surprised at first, then she literally took a big breath of the ocean air and completely settled in.” That being said, the ponies wanted no part of the ocean. They were careful to stay clear of protected areas that were roped off. Katrina says that Chincoteague ponies are surefooted and incredibly athletic beyond their size. They would have no trouble on this adventure.  

The small band of four-legged visitors made their way down the beach much to the surprise of tourists there on a nice day. Katrina’s husband Kevin walked behind the group and engaged with curious onlookers as they had questions. Given the enormous fame generated by the Marguerite Henry books, it was a shock that many on the beach that day had no idea there were wild ponies in the area, that there was to be an annual pony penning or that one could ride on the beach.  

However, as the Bills family (Katrina, Keara and home-from-college son Kenny) plus their friend rode along, those who fish on the beach regularly were used to such a sight. Katrina indicated that they did not encounter any wild ponies as they were probably hunkered down deep in the surrounding woods as storms were moving in.

Because of the weather changing, there was not much time spent on the beach. However, in those precious hours of making a dream come true, Katrina reflects saying, “it was truly a magical, amazing experience. To bring Cricket back to her birthplace was a full-circle, self-actualizing moment. We all call her ‘Queen of the Ponies’ and she embodied that standing in the dunes, taking in the salty sea air.” It would be pure speculation that Cricket or the other ponies with Chincoteague ancestry had any memories of that location on that day. However, the entire Bills family shared the adventure and created a memory together that they will always remember.

Inspired by the impressions left by Marguerite Henry books, Katrina Bills has just published the true story of her own equine legend, “Dragon: The Story of a Fiery Thoroughbred and the Girl Who Loved Him.”  http://www.katrinabaldingbills.com.