A Cowboy of Chincoteague's Pony Express

They would have to talk to the pony committee chairman and tell them how long they've been riding. And if they have an available spot, they may be able to go, they may not.

How far do the ponies have to swim to get to Chincoteague?

Oh, I guess it's about three to four hundred feet. It's really not that far.

Do you know approximately how many ponies you round up?

About 150. . . . Well, actually it's a little more than that, because they have the foals with 'em. But we keep a herd of about 150.

Do the crowds help or hinder getting the ponies ashore and to the auction site?

In a way they help because they create a fence, you know?

Has a Chincoteague pony ever bitten you?

No, but my own horse has bit me.

Any scary incidents with the ponies?

Not really scary, but I was afraid that I was going to lose my horse one day on a swim. My horse got into some real soft mud and had gone in up to her neck, and I had to get off of her and into the mud myself so she could get herself out. But that's about the worst thing.

Is that pretty common?