Jumping Assateague Wild Horse

by Priscilla Burgers

Title

Jumping Assateague Wild Horse

Artist

Priscilla Burgers

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

JUMPING ASSATEAGUE WILD HORSE by PRISCILLA BURGERS

This wild horse at Assateague National Seashore carefully studied the barrier before taking what must have seemed like a big leap. Local folklore describes the Assateague horses as survivors of a shipwreck off the Virginia coast. While this tale is popular, there are no records that confirm it. The most plausible explanation is that they are the descendants of horses that were brought to barrier islands like Assateague in the late 17th century by mainland owners to avoid fencing laws and taxation of livestock. The "wild" horses on Assateague are actually feral animals, meaning that they are descendants of domestic animals that have reverted to a wild state. Horses tough enough to survive the scorching heat, abundant mosquitoes, stormy weather and poor quality food found on this remote, windswept barrier island have formed a unique wild horse society. Assateague's horses are beautiful, tough, and wild. They have learned to survive in a harsh environment.

Foals are born in late spring and live with their mothers in a family group called a band. Each band is usually made up of 2 -10 mares, their offspring and a stallion. Each band occupies a home range. The horses spend most of their time grazing on abundant but nutrient-poor saltmarsh cordgrass, saltmeadow hay and beach grass. The horses’ short stature is a result of hundreds of years of adaptation to this low quality diet. Genetically,, they are considered horses, even though they are now pony size. The Assateague horses drink over twice the amount of water that domesticated horses will due to their salty food supply. All that drinking, combined with a high salt diet, contributes to their bloated appearance. Spring brings cool, rainy weather and fresh plant growth to the island. Many of the horses live in the marshes close to their best food sources. Hot, humid, and full of insects, summer brings.a new set of challenges. The horses escape the mosquitoes and flies of the marsh by spending more time on the beach and in the surf, letting the ocean breezes carry away airborne pests. The horses prefer to browse in shrub thickets during the damp, chilly, winter season. Their thick, furry coats protect them from ferocious winter winds and the occasional snowstorm.


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Uploaded

April 6th, 2017

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