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 The following is just a sample of  the opportunities you may have to view the ponies. Framed photos to the left are links to full size photographs 

 The Origin of the Ponies

While some have suggested the wild ponies of Assateague trace their origin to horses released to forage on the Island, the story passed from generation to generation on the Islands is they are the descendants of the survivors of a Spanish galleon which wrecked off the coast of Assateague. A recent book written by Mr. John Amrhein "The Hidden Galleon" (link in the reference material section)suggests the local story about the galleon is true. He describes the wreck of the La Galga in 1750, its location, the circumstances surrounding the voyage. the great storm of 1749 which decimated all the livestock on the Island and the appearance of the "Beach" Ponies shortly after the demise of the La Galga, and other evidence. While not absolute the circumstantial evidence he presents is very powerful.

The small picture below is from the August 17, 1930 edition of the "Richmond Times Dispatch" and is a photograph of the 1930 Pony Swim. The other one with the ponies in the water is from the 2008 Pony Swim. The third of the ponies standing in the water was taken in the same area where the Pony Swim is held. The last is a pony wearing its winter coat. The picture of the mare and foal was taken on 5/30/2009 at Bow Beach,