Thousands gather to see the hundredth annual swimming of Pony Wild Pony

The Chinoteague Wild Ponies have made their annual swimming on the Assateague channel in Virginia for the 100th time.

Tradition began in 1925 and sees “salt water jeans” on horseback in the ponies, which then swim the channel and reach the ground on the east side of the Chincoteague island.

The event organized by the Chinoteague Fire Department, which manages the ponies, includes an auction of some of the foals.

The money raised helps control the size of the flock to help maintain a healthy pony population in Assateague, where the ponies live most of the year.