CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, or Saltwater Cowboys, may have found the source of a rash of mysterious illnesses plaguing the southern herd of Chincoteague Ponies in recent months.
The Saltwater Cowboys say they began their investigation after the sudden and puzzling death of Sonny’s Legacy at the end of August. The mare, 12, was physically fit and had no preexisting conditions, according to the fire company. Officials said they suspected a neurological problem or unknown disease.
"We thought it was odd, it was unusual and the vet really couldn't place why things happened," said Hunter Leonard with the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.
Days later, volunteers say they were called out for another pony, Courtney’s Island Dove, showing signs of illness similar to Sonny’s Legacy. The Saltwater Cowboys were able to bring the mare and her colt back to Chincoteague for care and say the pony eagerly drank gallons of water volunteers brought to her, leading them to suspect dehydration. That thought struck the volunteers as odd, however, as the fire company says the watering holes on Assateague Island held plenty of water due to the cool conditions.
The next day, another pony, Triton, was found with the same conditions, prompting the Saltwater Cowboys to bring fresh water to the herd. Upon arrival, the volunteers say they were “all but attacked” by a band of ponies trying to get to the water. Realizing something was off, the firefighters brought troughs, automatic fillers, and a refractometer to measure salinity of the nearby pools.
At one watering hole, well over five feet above sea level, the fire company says they measured salinity at 35 ppt, or the salinity of the ocean. The entirety of the southern herd’s water was corrupted, according to the volunteers. The Saltwater Cowboys then began delivering fresh water to multiple bands of ponies.
Leonard tells WBOC fire company regularly goes around to check watering holes during the typically warmer months of August and September. However, this year, those months were cooler than usual, and the watering hole for the southern heard consistently had water in it.
"We had no idea until all these red flags started popping up," said Leonard.
Those red flags, of course, being the sick ponies.
According to officials, high tides brought by Hurricane Erin may have reached levels that seeped into the watering holes. Normally, storm tides and flooding are accompanied by rain to dilute the saltwater. The Saltwater Cowboys say a months-long lack of rain and especially during the storm’s passing out to sea may have been the catalyst for the overly-brackish drinking water.
“Essentially that means the entire southern herds survived for two weeks with no fresh water,” the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company said in a social media post. “Saltwater toxicity is dangerous for any mammal and the fact that we didn’t have more problems is astounding and a true testament to the toughness of these ponies and their adaptability to the island.”
The Saltwater Cowboys say the southern herd has since been given an automatic supply of fresh tap water to avoid similar issues. The northern herd, according to officials, was not impacted.
