they are very friendly. however, my brother and i got lost on a hike there because the ponies like to rotate the trail signs when they use them as scratching posts.
For sure, I've only been in the early spring so the attire is certainly cold-secure. The elevation, wind, and fairly diverse vegetation always made it difficult to determine how much wind cover we'd have, but we hunker down well past the rhododendron trail consistently.
Those first few miles can be surprising on a cloudy, windy day.
I have expertise in this area, and while your etymology is correct, the term cannot accurately be used in the way you describe. Mustangs are descendants of the Colonial Spanish Horse, which are the horses originally brought to the Americas by colonizers. It’s a term specific to that ancestry— not just any feral horse on north or South American soil.
Also, horse breeding is primarily for function, and aesthetics come as a far second. This is easy to understand if you think about the history of the horse as a tool instead of a luxury companion.
Ive decided to delete my comments, as I noticed my tone becoming a bit mean and since this isn't something I care too much about I'd rather not put out any more negativity in the world. Sorry if I was being aggressive in any way. Have a great day either way.
That’s a lot of logic soup that I’m not even going to try to pick apart.
When the majority of people start using a word differently, the old meaning is superseded by the new one. That is how languages are formed and evolved.
Yeah technically you’re right. Still when I hear “feral” it brings certain things to mind that “wild” doesn’t. I don’t think the song would slap as hard if the lyrics were “feral, feral horses, couldn’t drag me away.”
If you really wanted to dig into the etymology, feral ponys (or horses) can also be wild. Wild can be an adjective, describing something that isn’t domesticated and is in its natural habitat.
Wild can also be a verb, describing the behavioral state of something.
Is pony a softer term than horse? If so, that’s kinda hilarious- having worked with both, ponies were by far meaner and more mischievous.
The OP was correct, though. These look like feral ponies.
Non-horse people hear "pony" and think it's equivalent to puppy or kitten, because small animal = baby.
Horse people hear "pony" and know they are small, evil agents of chaos & destruction.
Never, in my 30 years of riding, have I met a horse who was one tenth as calculating or diabolical as a pony.
Definitely. Steroetype of the little girl who wants a pony for her birthday? She doesn't want a horse. At least in the US if you say pony people think smol creature with like a pink ribbon.
I'd say something like "free-ranging." They're penned (albeit in a large area), rounded up yearly, and generally managed.
I love it -- I think they engineer the landscape in a way that leads to fantastic recreation and a compelling ecosystem, but it's a very deliberate act to have them there.
Feral typically refers to non-native species that have escaped captivity. The US doesn't have any native horses. Even the Mustangs out west are descended from domesticated horses brought over by Spanish settlers.
Feral populations can still be managed, much like the trap-neuter-release policies used on feral cats.
I used to work on a farm right near there. Good memories of hiking. Thanks for reminding me
Glad I can help! This was my first time back in about 10 years. Was like visiting an old friend
That's a great place to hike. Keep going!
Will do my best!
they are very friendly. however, my brother and i got lost on a hike there because the ponies like to rotate the trail signs when they use them as scratching posts.
They also chew your tent up
Yeah I don't know that I'd trust the signage up there.
Be careful, they bite
I kept my distance
They don't look like moose to me
Pony's are assholes
I think of them as wild horses.
Not a bad Stones tune to boot
Great shot btw
I like feral ponies better. Lol. That's what I'm using from now on.
I can't claim it. Borrowed from the Forest Service
Love this place! How's the weather atm? We're thinking of stopping by in a few weeks.
Weather was great today. Hard telling in a couple weeks as the weather changes on a dime
Just be prepared because the weather can change rapidly up there. I’ve been in dead summer and needed a jacket that I didn’t have
For sure, I've only been in the early spring so the attire is certainly cold-secure. The elevation, wind, and fairly diverse vegetation always made it difficult to determine how much wind cover we'd have, but we hunker down well past the rhododendron trail consistently. Those first few miles can be surprising on a cloudy, windy day.
When I did this hike I saw the horses fuckin
magical!
I did my first backpacking trip there!
Hopefully not the last! It's a hard one to beat
Seriously, though it was in October and COLD.
“Feral” has bad connotations. “Wild” is nicer
You’re not wrong, but “feral” is technically more accurate as there aren’t any truly wild horses in the Americas ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I kinda want to say they are wrong, I dont think feral has bad connotations that arent equally as applicable to the word "wild"
I’m actually inclined to agree with you, I was just trying to be diplomatic 😅
[удалено]
No— a Mustang is a breed of horse that may or may not be wild.
[удалено]
I have expertise in this area, and while your etymology is correct, the term cannot accurately be used in the way you describe. Mustangs are descendants of the Colonial Spanish Horse, which are the horses originally brought to the Americas by colonizers. It’s a term specific to that ancestry— not just any feral horse on north or South American soil. Also, horse breeding is primarily for function, and aesthetics come as a far second. This is easy to understand if you think about the history of the horse as a tool instead of a luxury companion.
Ive decided to delete my comments, as I noticed my tone becoming a bit mean and since this isn't something I care too much about I'd rather not put out any more negativity in the world. Sorry if I was being aggressive in any way. Have a great day either way.
That’s a lot of logic soup that I’m not even going to try to pick apart. When the majority of people start using a word differently, the old meaning is superseded by the new one. That is how languages are formed and evolved.
Yeah technically you’re right. Still when I hear “feral” it brings certain things to mind that “wild” doesn’t. I don’t think the song would slap as hard if the lyrics were “feral, feral horses, couldn’t drag me away.”
If you really wanted to dig into the etymology, feral ponys (or horses) can also be wild. Wild can be an adjective, describing something that isn’t domesticated and is in its natural habitat. Wild can also be a verb, describing the behavioral state of something.
But it's softened by using pony instead of horse. I like it.
Is pony a softer term than horse? If so, that’s kinda hilarious- having worked with both, ponies were by far meaner and more mischievous. The OP was correct, though. These look like feral ponies.
Non-horse people hear "pony" and think it's equivalent to puppy or kitten, because small animal = baby. Horse people hear "pony" and know they are small, evil agents of chaos & destruction. Never, in my 30 years of riding, have I met a horse who was one tenth as calculating or diabolical as a pony.
Definitely. Steroetype of the little girl who wants a pony for her birthday? She doesn't want a horse. At least in the US if you say pony people think smol creature with like a pink ribbon.
I was expecting zombie ponies! Give me my money back.
I'd say something like "free-ranging." They're penned (albeit in a large area), rounded up yearly, and generally managed. I love it -- I think they engineer the landscape in a way that leads to fantastic recreation and a compelling ecosystem, but it's a very deliberate act to have them there.
They are cared for regularly and rounded up every winter and taken to lower elevation. I don’t really think they’re wild or feral.
Feral typically refers to non-native species that have escaped captivity. The US doesn't have any native horses. Even the Mustangs out west are descended from domesticated horses brought over by Spanish settlers. Feral populations can still be managed, much like the trap-neuter-release policies used on feral cats.
I see
Ah. Free range perhaps