The Escape Artist

This is the same pony that I came across two days ago when walking the wildlife loop.  She can be seen in the rear of my extra shot of the 26th. At that time I didn't know that her name is Little Miss Sunshine and she is well known for her tendency to wander away from the areas set aside for the ponies. Both days, the Chincoteague Fire Dept, who owns and manages the ponies on the Virginia side of Assateague, was called to take her back where she belongs.  

This morning as I was driving toward the beach, I saw her by the side of the road.  A man was standing near her and told me he had made the call and was going to stay with her until the firemen came, to keep her out of the road.  He then told me her name and that she was born in 2015, and about her naughty reputation.  I was delighted to get some more shots of her.  In addition, I came across a deer wading through the marshes (see extras) and a couple of bald eagles in a tree.  

A little more information about the horses/ponys:

Assateague 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 each side of the fence. The herds live on land managed by two different federal agencies with very different management strategies. Ponies from the Maryland herd, referred to in literature of the National Park Service as Assateague horses, live within Assateague Island National Seashore. They are generally treated as wild animals, given no more or less assistance than other species on the island, other than to be treated with contraceptives to prevent overpopulation. Conversely, the Virginia herd, referred to as Chincoteague ponies, lives within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge but is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. The Virginia ponies are treated to twice yearly veterinary inspections, which prepare them for life among the general equine population if they are sold at auction.  

Currently as many as 50,000 visitors gather on the last Wednesday in July to watch mounted riders bring the Virginia herd from Assateague and swim them across the channel to Chincoteague Island. The swim takes five-ten minutes, with both the rider and the observers on hand to assist horses, especially foals, who may have a hard time with the crossing. Before the swim, the herd is evaluated and mares in the late stages of pregnancy and those with very young foals are removed from the herd to be trailered between the islands. During the swim, some lactating mares become affected with hypocalcemia which is treated by on-site veterinarians. Larger foals are auctioned the next day and the majority of the herd, including any young foals, are returned to Assateague on Friday. As of 2015, the highest price paid for a pony was $25,000 and the lowest price was $500. Some ponies are purchased under "buy back" conditions, where the bidder donates the money to the fire department but allows the pony to be released back onto Assateague Island.  The bidder also gets to name the pony. 

While only around 300 ponies live on Assateague Island, around 1,000 more live off-island, having been purchased or bred by private breeders."

Thank you Wikipedia.