Can't get enough of beloved Chincoteague ponies? Here's when to see them at April roundup

Are you among the many people who just can't get enough of the beloved Chincoteague ponies? If so, good news, there's a spring roundup that comes before the world famous Pony Penning.

Here's what to know about the upcoming spring roundup, and then more on this year's Pony Penning.

Get a look at the beloved ponies at spring roundup

The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company holds two other roundups during the year besides the July Pony Penning Round Up; one in the spring and one in the fall. This year's spring roundups are set for 4:30 p.m. April 5 for the southern herd and 6 a.m. April 6 for the northern herd.

The purpose of these two extra roundups is to perform an overall health check on the ponies and to identify any new foals that have been born since Pony Penning. The April roundup is when the buybacks from the previous auction will be removed from the Carnival grounds and released back onto Assateague Island to live out their lives with the remainder of the herd.

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On April 5, the Saltwater Cowboys will round up the southern herd of ponies and corral them into the south pen located in front of the Woodland Trail parking lot, on road going out to the beach on Assateague. This roundup usually takes about 1-2 hours and there is plenty of parking access for spectators on Beach Road to view the roundup across the marsh or at the corral.

If you park in the Woodland Trail parking lot, know that once the gates are open for the ponies to enter the corral, your vehicle will not be able to leave the parking lot until all the ponies and Saltwater Cowboys are in the corral and the gates are closed. The ponies will remain in the corral overnight, so there are plenty of photo opportunities.

At 6 a.m. April 6, the Saltwater Cowboys head up the Service Road to round up the northern herd of ponies and corral them in the north pen. This roundup takes about 5-6 hours because of the number of ponies in the northern herd and the amount of land that has to be covered to round them up.

Parking is available at the Wildlife Loop parking lot. The public is allowed to walk up the Service Road to the cattle grate at any time of the day. Be aware that this requires a 3-mile walk one way (6 miles round trip) on a gravel road. Access farther north will be permitted after roundup activities are completed.

The veterinary team performs a basic overall health check of each pony and administers inoculations against West Nile and Equine Encephalitis, as well as deworming and hoof and teeth checks. After vet checks are completed, the herds are released back into the wild to roam and await the next roundup.

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And of course the spring roundup is just the precursor to the main event for pony lovers, the 99th annual Chincoteague Pony Swim and Auction.

This year's big event is set for July 24 (the swim) and July 25 (the auction).

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At "slack tide," the Chincoteague ponies will swim across the Assateague Channel, led by the Saltwater Cowboys, just south of Veterans Memorial Park (7427 Memorial Park Drive) on the east side of Chincoteague Island called Pony Swim Lane. Folks wishing to view the swim from Pony Swim Lane are advised to wear appropriate attire, "old clothing and closed toe shoes or muck boots," as this area is very muddy.

The annual pony auction raises funds for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and for the veterinary care of the ponies. The auction also serves to help control the pony population on Assateague Island. Foals will be auctioned at 8 a.m. on the Carnival grounds, and winners will receive certificates of purchase from the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Pony lovers rejoice: When to see them in Spring, before Pony Penning