Three More Chincoteague Pony Foals - and Winter Moon Pedigree Information

Up until I raised my doubts about the lineage of Winter Moon, one of the donated mares given to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, no had ever tracked down her pedigree.  It has now been proven that Winter Moon is, indeed, the daughter of WH Nightmist, a direct descendant of Misty of Chincoteague.  So I can now feel that I can truly announce that the first Misty descendant born free on Assateague was the son of Winter Moon and the Don Leonard Stud II.  Here's a photo of the bay pinto colt playing with the son of Sonny's Legacy and Riptide.  He was first seen on  April 8th. (He's the foal in action in this shot, if you don't know coat colors.)  These two foals, 4 and 5, were taken, with their dams to the Carnival Grounds, to have a better bonding experience.  They are back on Assateague now.

Two more foals were spotted yesterday, the 28th, and one was seen this morning.  Both foals born yesterday were fillies; the sex of today's foal is as yet unknown.  Yesterday morning, Darcy and Steve Cole saw a new chestnut pinto filly at Tiger Lily's side (she's also known as Waterbaby) ; the sire is Ajax.  The second filly was seen by Captain Dan yesterday after at the side of Tuleta Star; this bay pinto was sired by Wild Thing.  And Captain was, again, the first spotter of Tunie (aka Queenie) and Hoppy's solid bay foal seen this morning...  There's a good reason that his Around the Island Tours is also known as "the Foal Patrol!"

Foal 13 - filly, sired by Ajax, out of Tiger Lily (aka Waterbaby)

Foal 14  -  filly, sired by Wild Thing, out of Tuleta Star

Foal 15 - unknown, sired by Hoppy (Effie's Papa Bear), out of Tunie (aka Queenie)

2017 Spring Chincoteague Pony Round-Up Photos

Surfer Princess, a soon-to-be 2-year old filly

Riptide, a 9-year-old full brother of the top filly

Sonny's Legacy - that's mud on her tummy and front legs

Wild Thing shows his teeth (and height) to Hoppy

(aka Little Dolphin), another stallion

The newest arrival for the roundup was Lady's new foal, sired

by Chief Golden Eagle (sex unknown, as yet)

This little girl was the first 2017 foal - by Tornado's Legacy, out of Anne Bonny

This shot, by DSC Photography, shows three generations - 

Tunie (at left), her foal, and Seaside, Tunie's dam at right.

Seaside passed away from natural causes the last day of March.

New Chincoteague Foals - Thanks to DSC Photography

Sarcy and Steve Cole hike miles every day on Assateague to bring you photos like these.  Please visit their website and purchase a gorgeous photo of your favorite Chincoteague pony without their copyright watermark.  They work hard for our enjoyment.  http://www.dscphotography.com 

Tunie's colt, first-born of the herds

Tunie's colt approaching Japanese elk (Sika deer)

Ladies' Sweet Surprise and her buckskin foal

Wildest Dream and her bay baby

Wildest Dream's bay

Wild Island Orchid and her chestnut foal

Lyra's Vega and her foal sired by Riptide

New Foal and Wildlife

I'm starting to get my horse and pony motors revved up again.  We're 8 weeks away from the running of the 2016 Kentucky Derby, and, last weekend, the first Chincoteague pony foal born on the Virginia end of Assateague Island.  The mare is Tunie, and she has a bay pinto baby.  Darcy Cole is the photographer who tracked them down....  She states the sire is "Hoppy," a bay.  I don't know if she's referring to Little Dolphin, or Effie's Papa Bear….   Darcy calls Effie's Papa Bear "Hoppy."

There are three expectant mares on the Maryland (Northern) end of the island.  Apparently these three did not lose their estrus cycles when darted with their annual birth control medication...

   The birds and other critters are getting the feeling that it's really Spring here in Boulder.  The mating displays can be breath-taking, even when I'm just sitting in the back yard.  Flights, plumage displays, and dancing are very common; and the squirrels are running in patterns only they can see up, down, and around tree trunks.  I stopped the car at 6:10 this morning on a normally busy street to watch three bucks, twelve does, and eight yearlings slowly walk across traffic.  

   I feel so lucky to be able to observe nature - one is not going to see a herd of mule deer crossing the street in any large city.  And, even though I frequently see elk, I am still surprised by their size and majesty.  Buffalo, or bison, are just amazing.  And I'm used to handling large horses, including draft horses and draft crosses - I guess it's because they are wild creatures.