Assateague Island National Seashore
On a road trip to meet our daughters for a family vacation, we stopped at Assateague Island National Seashore. One of the unforgettable experiences there was seeing the famous wild horses wandering freely through the landscape. In this photo, one of the horses calmly stood along the boardwalk. Encounters like this are part of what makes Assateague such a remarkable place.
The wild horses of Assateague have become the symbol of the island. Smaller than many people expect, these horses developed their compact size over generations as they adapted to the harsh barrier island environment. One of the most fascinating facts about them is that they can drink the island’s brackish and salty water. This adaptation contributes to their bloated appearances and smaller statute compared to mainland horses. Living among salt marshes, strong coastal storms, heat, insects and limited fresh grazing shaped them into hardy survivors perfectly suited for this unique landscape.
Assateague Island National Seashore was established in 1965 by Congress to preserve the barrier island’s natural beauty, wildlife and shoreline ecosystems along the coasts of Maryland and Virginia. The island is known not only for its horses, but also for its windswept beaches, marshlands, and migrating birds.
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