I liked this shot because it provides a wide view of their habitat.
This pony was heading towards its herd, walking through an island salt marsh. This particular herd was about 18 ponies, though hard to tell since they moved around scrub pines and some went off to a watering hole. The water right here is brackish not fresh, though the ponies can digest a certain amount while grazing.
🙌🏼🤩🙌🏼🤩🙌🏼
😁😁😁
Hard to tell the exact size of those ponies, but they look pretty big to me – almost like small horses, right? Weren’t the Native Americans the ones who rode similar small, tough horses because they were fast and strong? Either way, you’ve got a really nice and interesting subject here. Thanks for sharing, Ted!
You’re right on the size. They are bigger. First, yes the native US horses are a short horse, called ‘quarter horses’.
These ‘ponies’ are almost horse size. Look real close to me. They are actually Mediterranean stock. The Spanish explorers used them while traveling the southern coast of North America. Multiple shipwrecks in these waters left their horses behind.
In addition there had been some western Mustangs, wild horses, introduced here. They were afraid of inbreeding ruin the herds. They did breed and helped the bloodline, however the rough environment is only suitable to the island pony. They can digest the hard reeds and grasses, and actually drink small amounts of salt water. Mustangs and other breeds died off quickly.
Lots more to come, this was a small project years in the making so plenty of short stories LOL.
Such a pity for the Mustangs, but it also shows those ponies aren’t exactly fragile – stomachs of steel. Still, kind of sad they have to live like that… though honestly, it could be worse.
Compared to other wild animals, and we have plenty, it looks pretty good. 😁