CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — The oldest stallion on Chincoteague Island has officially passed on to new pastures.
A Facebook post from the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company on Thursday announced the sad news that Wild Thing was no longer with us.
"Wild Thing was the oldest pony in our herd and the longest living stallion in quite some time," the post said.
"Wild Thing was known as the 'Popes Island Stud' by cowboys because nearly every roundup he would be on his own island where he stayed almost all year and our boat crews would have to walk the entire island to get him to swim back to Assateague, it usually held up the roundups quite a bit!"
While he was alive, he fathered many foals over 25 years that are either still a part of the two well-known wild herds or became buybacks, which means they were sold at the annual pony auction when young.
"He has crossed the rainbow bridge and joined the big herd in the sky, we are thankful for his service to us and the rest of the herd," the post said.
Hundreds of comments have poured in so far, with residents and visitors of Chincoteague and Assateague islands alike sharing their memories.
Farewell, Wild Thing.