The herd will not be forced to swim across the channel this year but the mares and foals will be trailered to the carnival grounds after roundups and sorting on July 25 and 26, according to an announcement by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.
The foals will be auctioned and the mares returned to their home territory (Virginia side of Assateague Island).
The announcement did not say if any of the foals would rejoin the herd and provided no information on long-term trends in herd sizes, sex ratios and genetic diversity.
RELATED: Chincoteague Pony Swim Called Off Again.
Western Horse Watchers Association 