Saltwater Cowboys Monitoring Sick Chincoteague Pony, Abandoned Foal

Image Courtesy of Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company

CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND, Va. – Crews with the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, also known as the Saltwater Cowboys, are monitoring two ponies who were recently found in precarious circumstances.

Last Sunday, crews spotted a pony named Phoenix standing alone with her head slouched. She ran away upon attempts to catch her, but was ultimately captured the following morning. Upon further inspection, Phoenix was discovered to have an abscess that had burst, along with a case of pythiosis, also known as swamp cancer. Crews started wound care for her immediately and say she is doing quite well at the moment.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, a new foal was born to Fancy Free, a mare in the northern herd born in 2021. While the foal appeared to be doing well in morning, by mid-afternoon, crews say the mother was spotted walking with her herd, but with no foal. Crews searched for the missing foal and eventually found the baby not far from where he was spotted that morning.

Upon vet consultation, crews deicide that the best thing for the foal would be a nurse mare situation. Crews called upon EJ, a mare from the Chincoteague Pony Farm who has adopted a foal for the past two years. With a little help, the foal immediately nursed. The vet team gave him a plasma transfusion and monitored him before helping him nurse through the night. While the full is not fully well yet, crews say he has a fighting chance.