Chincoteague Pony Centre

Pony Rides

Chincoteague Ponies are excellent riding ponies. The Pony Centre offers hand-led pony rides for children under 100 lbs. This is your child’s chance to ride a real Chincoteague Pony. Sure to be a unique and memorable experience for your child, this is the perfect activity for the young Chincoteague Pony lover in your family. Watch your child grin on top of one of our gorgeous, highly trained Chincoteague Ponies.

We emphasize safety in our pony rides, giving them in an enclosed paddock with someone leading the pony and another person spotting the rider. Each child gets a ribbon as a memory of their Chincoteague pony ride.

Pony Rides are available from 9am to 1pm and then again from 4pm to 8pm, Monday thru Saturday. For more information or questions, email us at [email protected] or call us at 757-894-3260.

Pony Shows

Our Pony Show features beautiful Chincoteague Ponies performing in different disciplines, and is the only place in the world to see the Extreme Chincoteague Pony Race. Let us show you what highly trained and skilled Chincoteague Ponies can do. Come join in the excitement.

The Chincoteague Pony Drill Team will perform as part of the show. The Chincoteague Pony Drill Team is a group of riders from different parts of the country. They were named the World Champion Youth Drill Team at Equitana USA. They are the only mounted drill team in the world that rides exclusively Chincoteague ponies.

Riding Lessons

The Chincoteague Pony Centre has the unique opportunity to be able to offer riding lessons, on Chincoteague ponies, to visitors to the Island. We have fully trained ponies that can be ridden English or Western in our indoor ring under the tutorage of a qualified riding instructor. Whether you are a beginner rider, riding for a first time, or someone more experienced that would love to see what it is like to ride one of these wonderful Chincoteague ponies, the indoor ring at the Pony Centre will give you a unique riding experience. Lessons last half an hour, and cost $40 per lesson. You can call ahead before you come, to book your date and time, to assure availability. At some times in the summer, lesson times can get quite busy.

Lessons are offered six days a week (Monday through Saturday) during the summer, and on Saturdays in the spring and fall when the Pony Centre is operating. We provide riding helmets, please wear appropriate clothes (jeans are preferred) and shoes with a closed toe.

Pony Day Camps

The Pony Centre offers morning pony camps six days a week, with different activities and emphasis each day. Whether you sign up for a day, a three-day session, or all week, or any combination therein, your camper will come away with a special memory of being around the Chincoteague ponies. These camps do not include riding lessons, but will include a daily pony ride, craft, special activities, and more. The camps run over the summer season and start at 9:30 in the morning and last till noon. They are specially structured for children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are interested in horses and especially Chincoteague ponies. Please have your children wear clothes that can get dirty, and shoes with a closed toe. They will be doing such activities as brushing horses, cleaning tack, cleaning a stall, and washing a horse, depending on which day they come to camp.

As with any horse activity, safety is always stressed, however, neither the pony center, no employee, or volunteer, or anyone associated with the pony centre can be held responsible for any accident or injury.

Gift Shoppe

In our Gift Shoppe you will find Misty related items and souvenirs, Antiques, Toys, Country Gifts, Candles, Folk Art and Sailing Ships. We have many unique items made with care and craftsmanship. From Jams and Jellies to antique toy racers, every one will find something they like.

We also have a large collection of Breyer models. We have items for horse lovers and non-horse enthusiasts alike. If you saw something you liked and didn’t have a chance to come by and pick it up, call or email and we can send it to you!

Memories of Misty Museum

Chincoteague Island gained national fame in 1961 when Twentieth Century Fox premiered the movie “Misty of Chincoteague”. The movie was based on author Marguerite Henry’s award-winning children’s book Misty of Chincoteague, published in 1947. The book and movie helped to forever transition Chincoteague Island from a small fishing village into a world-class tourist destination.

Come in and see our large collection of Misty memorabilia. We’ve got lots of memorabilia from the life and times of Misty, along with some wagons and other fun stuff to see!

The Memories of Misty Museum includes:

• 30-minute documentary on Chincoteague and the Chincoteague Ponies.
• Large collection of Misty memorabilia, featuring Marguerite Henry and Wesley Dennis, and Misty herself.
• Live Misty family ponies to see.
• Vintage photographs of Misty, Stormy, and making of the movie ‘Misty’.
• Display of antique carriages and carts.
• Collection of all the books written by Marguerite Henry.
• Original artwork of Wesley Dennis.
• Chincoteague Pony Drill Team video.
• Misty’s family tree.
• A children’s corner with saddles, rocking horses, and coloring table.
• How to measure horses and ponies.
• Sixty-foot, round arena used for riding lessons and shows.
• Vintage Misty Breyer horse models.
• Rare Misty movie posters and theatre cards.