Spring Round-Up for Chincoteague Ponies

The weather here in Boulder is nasty.  Rain mixed with snow and wind is forecast, and the temperature is steadily dropping.  Yuck.
  On Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, off the coast of Virginia, out in the Atlantic Ocean, it's a much prettier day.  The National Weather Service says highs of 68 for today and tomorrow - sunny today, and mostly sunny Saturday.  Should be great weather for the Saltwater Cowboys to do the southern round-up this afternoon (beginning about 4:30) and the northern round-up at 7 O'clock tomorrow morning.
   The newly donated seven ponies and the eleven buybacks were transferred from the CVFC Carnival Grounds on south Main Street to the southern holding pen on Assateague Wednesday evening.  They will be vet-checked and vaccinated (and the new stock will be micro-chipped) along with the gathered southern herds on Saturday morning.  After they've been seen by the vet, they will be released until the July Round-Up for Pony Penning.
  Tomorrow morning, the round-up men will begin gathering the wide-spread and elusive northern herds.  My filly, who will be three in mid-May, is looking pretty thin in the last photos I saw of her...  they were taken on 4 April, and she's lost weight since New Years.  I'd be much happier if she had about 100 to 150 more pounds on her.  I know that Doc Cameron will check each pony carefully, and if he has concerns, she'll be properly treated.  Actually, a lot of the northern mares look a little thin.  We'll see what  his pronouncements are...  I'm hoping a good worming might be all my filly needs...
  After the veterinarian and his assistants check the southern herds tomorrow morning, they'll go do the same with the northern herds.  That's when he'll see my girl...  But they won't have to micro-chip anyone up north, except the new foals - the count was at seven new babies as of Thursday evening.
   If you'd like to see some old newsreel videos regarding Pony Penning, here a a few I recommend:

1924 Pony Penning - taken 3 years after my Mother was born there....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfaQuLpmrWo&feature=share

1955 24 minute documentary made by the Library of Virginia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIYmJO7iFUc

1959 Pony Penning - I was three years old at this Pony Penning...  I was there!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqGZsNTe-5U

1967  Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom  - 23 minutes  - I was there!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qadOPc67tJ4

2012 Overview of Pony Penning with  the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZRupgnl6bA&t=19s