Hurricane Dorian: Assateague Island's Wild Horses Brave The Storm

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, MD — They're marvelous to observe from a safe distance, but the wild horses that roam Assateague Island are on the move with Hurricane Dorian nipping at their heels. Horses have a natural instinct to flee from adverse weather and these horses are no different. The wild horses that roam North Carolina's Outer Banks were not evacuated either, but instead headed to higher ground, gathering under sturdy oak trees to wait out the storm.

According to the Assateague Island National Seashore's Facebook page, ocean-side campsites and back-country campsites would close, as would beaches with lifeguards. Even park staff aren't supposed to be at the island.

The wild horses have proven that they are able to swim well, especially since on the last Wednesday of July, the herd of horses on the Virginia side are rounded up and swim from Assateague Island to nearby Chincoteage Island where the young foals are auctioned off in an event called pony penning. On the Maryland side, the wild horses that live on the Assateague Island National Seashore are managed by the National Park Service.

The herd has been around since the mid-1600s and are "hearty stock," the herd manager noted.