CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has shared sad news of the loss of three foals ahead of their annual Pony Penning in July. Foals 11, 27, and 45 have all passed and will not be included in the auction later this summer, according to the Fire Company.
“There are so many factors in Mother Nature that can lead to a foal not surviving such as infections, herd dynamics, breeding, or unexpected separation,” the Fire Co. said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
The social media post also cites a USDA statistic that domestic horse foals have a mortality rate of 5.8 percent in the first month of life. The deaths of these three foals is an unfortunate yet normal occurrence, the Company says.
“Sometimes Mother Nature has different plans and no matter the circumstances a foal can perish with even the very best care,” the post reads.
Chincoteague’s annual Pony Swim festivities are set to kick off this year on July 26th. It will be the Island’s 97th year of the event.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect that the foals, prior to being bought at the penning auction, are unnamed and identified by numbers. The article incorrectly identified them as Flower, Seaside Miracle, and Magic, which are the names of the foals mothers.