What is the Chincoteague Pony Swim?
The Chincoteague Island Pony Swim
The Chincoteague Pony Swim also known as Pony Penning, or Pony Penning Days, is an annual event held in Chincoteague, Virginia on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. The event dates back to the 1800s and features the wild horses swimming across the Assateague Channel when the tide is “slack calm” so the young ponies, which are born during spring or early summer, are safe from any strong currents.
The pony swim event is hosted by the Chincoteague Fire Department and consists of a pony swim on Wednesday and a pony auction on Thursday. For the pony swim, the Saltwater Cowboys round up feral Chincoteague ponies from Assateague Island and drive them across the Assateague Channel to Veteran’s Memorial Park on Chincoteague Island. Once on Chincoteague Island, the Saltwater Cowboys herd the ponies to pens on the Chincoteague Carnival Grounds where some of the foals are auctioned off on Thursday.
101 Years
2026 is the 101st year of the annual pony swim! The spectator turn out is expected to be one of the biggest in Chincoteague’s history. We suggest you book your trip to Chincoteague early if you’d like to witness this spectacular event. Book your rooms and activities a year ahead!
Pony Swim tip: The swim back on Friday is the best swim to see, less people and the viewing is fantastic. The wild Chincoteague ponies slowly migrate back to Assateague and it gives visitors a great opportunity to get the best pictures of the world famous ponies. The best way to view the swim is by kayak, the closest kayak rental to the pony swim is Assateague Tours 7512 Eastside road Chincoteague Virginia 757-894-9822. Be smart book a year ahead!
Best Accommodations on Chincoteague Island Virginia
The closest accommodations to the Chincoteague Pony Swim is Snug Harbor Marina, they book up years in advance for the world famous Pony Swim but give them a call, sometimes they have cancellations and you might get lucky and have the opportunity to stay just a few hundred yards away from the actual event. Call 757-894-2431! This location was even in the movie Misty of Chincoteague.
The closest accommodations to the carnival and the downtown area would be these two great hotels. The Marina Bay is a beautiful waterfront hotel very close to the action as well as the Waterside Motor Inn. The Waterside Motor Inn is a family run hotel that gives you the special attention that boutique hotels offer.
The three best downtown hotels are the Island Motor Inn, Hampton Inn, and the Fairfield Inn & Suites. The Hampton Inn of Chincoteague is one of the best hotel properties in the country. They have won several national awards that put this property in an elite category of its own.
If you are looking for a hotel on Maddox Blvd. then the Chincoteague Inn is your best choice, a budget friendly hotel that won’t break the bank and located on the main road going to the beach.
If you are looking for a campground then the Chincoteague Bay Rv Park is the one to call. They are located on the water with great views of the sunset. If you are looking for a unique stay maybe BluFin Marina with their floating house boats.
Chincoteague Ponies
The Chincoteague pony is also known as the Assateague horse. They are a breed of horse that developed, and now lives, within a semi-feral or feral population on Assateague Island. The breed was made famous by the Misty of Chincoteague novels, written by pony book author Marguerite Henry, and first published in 1947.
Although these horses are popularly known as Chincoteague ponies, the feral ponies live on Assateague Island. The entire island is owned by the federal government and is split by a fence at the Maryland/Virginia state line, with a herd of around 150 ponies living on the Virginia side of the fence, and 80 on the Maryland side.
The herds live on land managed by two different federal agencies with very different management strategies. Ponies from the Maryland herd are called Assateague horses. They live within Assateague Island National Seashore. They are generally treated as wild animals, given no more or less assistance than any other species on the island, other than contraceptive treatments to curb overpopulation. The Virginia herd are known as Chincoteague ponies. They live within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge which is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.
Check out our Pony Swim Guide for the weeklong itinerary and events!
Pony Swim Guide
