The pony pen on Ocracoke Island, situated about half-way between the Hatteras Inlet ferry docks and the village, has, since 1959, housed the historic ponies that used to run wild on Ocracoke Island.

Believed to be the descendants of Spanish mustangs that survived 16th and 17th century shipwrecks and failed colonies, the ponies, which still run wild in some more remote places along the North Carolina coast, have long been an important part of Outer Banks history.

When the care of the penned Ocracoke herd became the responsibility of the National Park Service in the mid-1960s, two of the primary objectives were to maintain the herd size and to reintroduce the genetic strain common to the Outer Banks horses, identified as brown body with white face markings.

Recently, the park service took a big step toward fulfilling those obligations—the park  adopted two fillies, each about 2 years old, from the Shackleford Banks herd on Cape Lookout National Seashore.

“The NPS and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses have a mutual goal of preserving Outer Banks horses for the people of the United States.  We are appreciative of the good work of Ms. Carolyn Mason and the Foundation which has enabled us to introduce two new fillies to the Ocracoke herd” stated Cape Hatteras Seashore Superintendent Mike Murray.

The fillies, named Sacajawea and Jitterbug, arrived around 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13.

The original plan was to have them on display at the front of the pen, but, because of   cold, rainy, and blustery conditions and a somewhat traumatic morning (The early morning Cedar Island ferry was cancelled, so they had to leave at 4 a.m. and drive all the way around.), the ponies were placed in the pen where they’re going to stay, which was still visible from the overlook.

Because the herd on Shackleford Banks still runs wild, Sacajawea and Jitterbug had to be slowly acclimated to humans and captivity before they could join the Ocracoke herd.

The pair visited a veterinarian and a farrier before their arrival, and they are being very slowly and gently introduced their new diet of hay and grain, as opposed to their traditional grazing-only diet.

Sacajawea has been out of the wild herd for about a year, and Jitterbug has been out for around eight weeks, said Laura Michaels, who manages the Ocracoke pony pen.

It seemed clear that Jitterbug was the newer convert. She was much more skittish and preferred to keep to herself as we walked around the pen.

And though the weather may not have given the new additions the warmest welcome, it seems that the other ponies in the herd have been more accepting.

Michaels said she had been surprised by how well the original residents of the Ocracoke pen had been treating the new kids in town.

In addition to the two Shackleford horses, the Ocracoke pen is set to welcome another new member in the spring.

Spirit, one of the youngest Ocracoke mares, is pregnant. The park has been trying to breed Spirit with Wentzel, a traditional Outer Banks pony currently on loan to the pen for that very purpose, since last year.

And though it has not been confirmed, it appears that Maya, another young Ocracoke mare, may be pregnant as well, also by Wentzel.

Michaels says that, while they are, of course, just hoping for a healthy foal, they are really pulling for Spirit to give birth to a colt that they can eventually breed with the new fillies.

Since Wentzel is on loan to the pen and the only stallion currently in the Ocracoke herd, he has fathered all of the herd’s mares. A new colt would be a crucial asset in maintaining the size, health, and genetic diversity of the herd.