News & Updates

Welcome to the world of the Chincoteague Pony Centre! Located in the heart of Chincoteague Island, it is a small glimpse of the beautiful and talented Chincoteague ponies in all their glory. From newborn foals to fully grown ponies in all colors and sizes, the Chincoteague pony is the primary focus where horse lovers from all over the world come.  

There were two big events in the horse world  at the Pony Centre in 2007.

The first was the unexpected and long hoped-for arrival of a direct descendent of Misty who fit the description of her famous ancestor enough to be called Misty III. Born in the spring of the year, many Misty fans were lucky enough to meet her when she made her grand debut the week of Pony Penning at the Centre. A golden tan pinto color just like the original Misty, this young pony immediately frolicked into the hearts of many.  

Misty III is now on the winter quarters of the Chincoteague Pony Centre on the mainland where she and all the stars of the Pony Centre get to relax and enjoy the many acres of paddocks during the fall, winter and spring. As she continues to grow, she becomes more beautiful and more talented every day. Look for her at the Pony Centre in the Summer of 2008 as she enters her yearling year and starts her pre-training for gentling under saddle in the future. 

The other big foal news in the Misty world is less known at this moment for it happened in late September of 2007 and was not announced at the Pony Centre. While the season was winding down, Misty’s Heat Wave, a great granddaughter of Misty, and daughter of Misty II, decided that she would have some excitement of her own, and produced a beautiful palomino pinto filly—6 weeks premature! Too weak to stand, her legs like rubber, hoofs still partially formed, the tiny foal weighed less than 30 pounds at birth.  

The veterinarians at the Veterinary Clinic came to the rescue, and HeatWave and her new arrival were rushed to Princess Anne, Md, where Dr. Kristen Vance took over the supervision of trying to save this very precious and exquisite filly. The foal was given less than a 40% chance of living a day when she arrived at the clinic less than three hours after she was born. Intense measures were taken immediately, including milking the cooperative HeatWave and bottle feeding the baby so that she would get those very precious nutrients needed so soon after birth. The bones in her legs were like rubber and not strong enough to hold her weight so the foal was carried and held in different positions to stimulate her blood flow. IVs and shots followed to boost her immune system as this feisty foal refused to give up the fight for her little life. By the third day she had learned to stand in a fashion, resting on her ankles as she started to move on her own. By the end of the first week, she had mastered the art of drinking milk from her mother and in her free time, was prancing around the clinic halls and office, where she was turned loose for exercise and supervision. She soon returned home on the farm where she has continued to strengthen.

Today, early January, you would never know she had been a premature baby as she frolics in her paddock with her mother HeatWave. The little filly was named Misty’s September StarDust because of the Star markings on her golden body, and is nicknamed “Ember” to all. Her legs have strengthened, her hooves grown to normal hoof size, and she practices doing little bucks and flying lead changes as she scampers around. She loves to tear through the barn when the paddock gate is left open, and startle cats, dogs and humans alike, her little hooves drumming on the barn floor.  

She still has her checkups with the vet who declares her “healthy as a horse” and she plans to make her debut at the Pony Centre in 2008 where she is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 

Spring Events: 

The Chincoteague Pony Drill Team will be appearing at the Delaware Horse Expo in Harrington, Del. On Saturday March 15. Kendy and Katye Allen will be on hand to sign books and the Drill Team will perform as part of the day’s events. For more information, go to the Delaware Horse Expo website. 

Kendy and Katye Allen and assorted Chincoteague ponies will be part of an Equine Day to be held April 12 at Stoltzfus Feed in Gap, Pa. The ponies will be performing throughout the day, and Kendy and Katye will be signing books from their “The Ponies of Chincoteague” series. 

The Chincoteague Pony Centre plans on opening weekends starting mid-April this year. For more information closer to that time, check with the website or email for more information.  

Two new books in “The Ponies of Chincoteague” are anticipated for this summer. Which ponies will be featured? Check for more information closer to their release date.

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