The REAL Ponies

The REAL Ponies
Originally uploaded by nstovall8.

Here's a shot of a few of the wild horses on Ocracoke Island. Their origins

are not exactly known, but they are widely believed to be ancestors of

ponies left behind by early settlers--possibly Spanish settlers. They have

a different number of vertebrae and ribs than other horses. They also have a

distinct shape, posture, color, size, and weight that set them apart from

other breeds. They roamed the island freely until around 1960, when the

Park Service penned them up for their own safety. There was once even a

mounted Boy Scout troop on Ocracoke!