It stands as one of the most popular East Coast cultural traditions: the Chincoteague ponies. From the 100-year-old pony swim to the wildly popular Misty of Chincoteague book series, the wild ponies are a major draw to the Virginia resort town.
With so many pony lovers flocking to the island, it seems like a natural fit to offer horse-drawn carriage rides around the 7-mile-long, 1.5-mile-wide island. The idea, however, has taken awhile to get the green light.
The Town of Chincoteague has just approved seasonal carriage rides. The Chincoteague Pony Centre, a farm and museum that is home to island ponies and offers pony rides and riding lessons, got the approval from Building Official and Zoning Administrator Mark Bowden.
Equine & Facility Operations Director Monica Shubert saw horse-drawn carriages offered in the similarly charming town of Berlin, Maryland, outside Ocean City. Shubert says she wasn’t the first to pursue the idea in Chincoteague, but she believes her intention to operate the carriage rides outside of the high-traffic summer season helped her secure approval.
The Pony Centre announced it will offer seasonal horse-drawn carriage rides for “Fall & Holiday”, operating October through December and “Spring”, from March through Mother’s Day weekend. They hope to have the first rides up and running by late October.
They plan to buy a six-passenger carriage that will offer rides to both locals and visitors, giving them a “slower, more scenic” way to enjoy the island. The Pony Centre also owns an old-fashioned carriage to reserve for special events like weddings, parades, or private celebrations.
While the Pony Centre is known for its stable full of Chincoteague ponies, those are not the horses that will be used for the carriage rides. “They aren’t built for it,” Shubert explains. Instead, a team of Haflingers will become the Pony Centre’s newest residents. The Pony Centre announced their new team as “Lewis and Clark.” Their breed is known for its kind and gentle nature along with its strength for draft work.
Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Joanne Moore tells us, “The carriage rides will be a new and unique opportunity for locals and guests to enjoy the scenic views of Chincoteague Island. They will be offered in the off-season, when our roads are quieter, but we are sure they will be a wonderful addition to the outdoor experiences Chincoteague offers.”
The Pony Centre says it will have an online portal up and running soon for visitors to reserve carriage rides for later this fall. Watch the Chincoteague Pony Centre Facebook page for updates.
