Near the end of this morning's Pony Auction at the Chincoteague Volunteer Fireman Company's Carnival Grounds, a freak accident occurred at the rear fence line. Butterfly Kisses, a 2006 chestnut pinto mare, is the stallion Surfer's Riptide's lead mare and favorite girl in his harem. She was in "foal-heat" this morning, and Riptide was in eager pursuit of her breeding pheromones. Several other mares and Butterfly Kisses were running around the rear of the Carnival Grounds pasture, and Riptide was gaining ground in his pursuit. According to eyewitnesses standing outside the fence, B Kisses tried to make an acute turn in an area where hay was scattered on the ground. The hay was still wet with rain. The mare's hooves flew out from under her. She went flying, sideways, through the air - and the top of her neck hit the fencing with a very nasty-sounding thunk. She never moved again. Her neck had been broken instantly. Riptide plowed to a stop beside her and stood there, nuzzling her body and whickering to her, until the vet arrived and covered with a tarp. Her body was removed by truck and taken to be buried on Assateague. Then, by common consent, the Saltwater Cowboys rounded up all of Riptide's mare, along with the big man himself, and trailered them back to Assateague. They will not make the return swim tomorrow, with fingers pointing at them. (Some people have already stated that Riptide caused Butterfly Kisses' death.) It was a freak accident, folks.
On the other hand, the chestnut colt that Butterfly Kisses and Riptide produced 31 days ago was supposed to be a Fall Pick-Up. The new owners already have Trigger at home and are bottle-feeding him, with close instructions from the attending veterinarian.
Butterfly Kisses 15 May 2006 - 26 July 2018
Riptide
Butterfly Kisses and Trigger, her 2018 colt
sired by Surfer's Riptide
Trigger being bottle-fed this afternoon
Thank you so much for this information. My sister went and saw it but is really too devastated . We are old ladies and have been going there and loving these ponies since we were kids, I owned one for 25 years fantastic horse . Your account was as she said witnessed by someone that saw it. They are horses and act accordinglly why would someone blame Riptide he was doing what nature wanted but in the wrong place.
ReplyDeleteOne more Chincoteague pony story.
ReplyDeleteOne day when my pony was about 10 years old and had been neutered for eight years they called me from a boarding barn to tell me they had to move him out of a mixed group into a Geldings only pasture because.....he was beating up all the other geldings to get the mares...just goes to show you can take the stallions out of Chincoteague ,neuter them whatever but you can't take Chincoteague and nature out of the ponies
1988 Pony lover and owner
Thanks so much for verifying this story! I actually came up to the scene right after it had happened, after not attending Pony Penning for approx. 25 yrs. Used to live there & followed those ponies everywhere. It was devastating to say the least. But I do not blame Riptide. It was indeed a freak accident, albeit very,very sad. I watched him with his mares this past winter when they escaped through the hole in the fence, several times, & he was just fine with his girls
ReplyDeleteForgot to tell you:
ReplyDelete1) Please tell Triggers' owners we wish them the best. Lots of people routing for the little guy.
2) Your pics are great!
Thank you for this. I’m a newbie, just visiting the island for the first time last weekend, not being able to stay for the swim, I did see the sunrise walk on Monday morning and it stole my heart. These ponies are doing what they do, and this was a freak accident. They are beautiful, majestic, and life is unpredictable for all of us. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad abrupt end for B. Kisses, and what a good mare and mother. When you have horses there are many days of elation but equally cut things down, back to earth with a sickening thud. I do not blame Riptide - it is just horses - it happens.
ReplyDelete