Dip in a Stream, and Wild Ponies

   Red Bull and his companions reached the Hurricane Mountain Shelter tonight, mile 513.2 on the A.T., hiked a little over 16 miles today.

   We had not heard from him for a couple of nights, but knew he was with a lot of people so tried to not be concerned.  It was great to have him check in with us tonight.

   Red Bull told us he "took a dip in a mountain steam today" and "saw wildponies".  I have never heard of wild ponies in Virginia, so decided to look it up online.

Here is an excerpt from an article in Southern States:

photo from Southern States
wild ponies in Virginia

Running Wild: The Feral Ponies of Mount Rogers, Virginia

With so much wildness disappearing around us, it might surprise you to know that high atop Virginia's tallest mountain peak lives a herd of feral, unbridled ponies. 

These ponies roam free and unhidden along the mile-high ridgeline. And despite the intimidating elevation, anyone can lace up their hiking boots and go see them. Simply head to Grayson Highlands State Park, VA, and strike out on the beautiful and rugged stretch of the Appalachian Trail that approaches Mount Rogers. It's only a four-mile walk, and if you keep your eyes and ears open, you can find members of this 150-pony herd standing weathered but majestic against their high country backdrop.

These ponies, which are slightly larger than Shetland ponies, have lived up on this area of Wilburn Ridge for longer than most folks can remember. According to Laney Irving, a 74-year-old retired Southern States employee and member of the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association, they were put up there by the park service. The ponies, which are aided but not tamed by the club's eight members, serve the park by grazing on the undergrowth and brush, helping prevent forest fires.

"See, the ponies will go down into the lower wetlands and survive good in the wintertime," says Laney. "That helps to clean the wetlands out and protect the older forests from summer fires. Then in the warmer months they stay up in the higher elevations, where it's better picking. That helps manage the threat of fire on the mountains' grassy bald faces."

In exchange for this free labor, the park service and the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association help the herd live healthy and free lives. "In the spring and the fall of the year we round up the ponies and check them over," says Laney. "During the winter we provide them with salt licks and some Southern States feed." Bryan Cassell, Assistant Manager of Southern States' Wytheville store, says that they've been supplying the Pony Association for years.

The real thrill is to watch these animals live outside the reach of humans - to help and observe them from afar. "It makes you feel good," admits Laney. "It feels like a good deed to get salt or feed to them, especially when it's cold and bad up there. Plus, checking on them gives me and my wife a good reason to go walk around the park. We still have a little bit of kid left in us, and seeing those ponies roam free brings that kid out."

It's true that these ponies bring a childlike sense of wonder to every hiker who has a chance to glimpse them. That is why we're glad that folks like Laney Irving and the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association offer up their time and Southern States products to protect them. Because there's something mythical about these small, strong horses standing stalwart against the elements. There's something inspiring about their thick coats and wispy manes parting in the wind. There's something in these freely wandering ponies, with wise eyes and old souls that has the ability to make full-grown men think about magic.