Chincoteague Pony by the Sea

A pony stands in tall grass near the sea. Wind blows its mane as waves roll onto the sand.

This is a Chincoteague pony. Ponies like this live on Assateague Island, off the coasts of Virginia and Maryland.

The island has beaches, dunes, and marshes. Dunes are hills of sand. Marshes are wet places where grasses grow.

The ponies live in groups called herds. They spend much of the day looking for food. They eat grasses and other plants that grow on the island.

Plants that grow near the sea can be salty. The ponies drink fresh water, too. They find it in ponds and other wet places.

The island can be a hard place to live. In summer, the sun is hot, and bugs bite. In winter, cold winds blow across the sand.

The ponies grow thick coats for the cold months. When warmer days come, they shed some of that hair.

A young pony is called a foal. A foal stays close to its mother and drinks her milk. As it grows, it begins to eat plants, too.

People come to the island to see the ponies. The ponies may look calm, but they are still wild animals. They can bite or kick if people get too close.

Visitors should give the ponies plenty of space. They should not feed or touch them. From a safe spot, people can watch a pony graze while clouds drift over the Atlantic shore.