This might surprise you but it isn’t unusual for a pony to pop up in an online ad with the label “Chincoteague pony” but unless the poster has the pony registered or is able to offer proof of the pony’s heritage, it’s very unlikely that the pony is as advertised. In fact, one of our most popular programs is our free “Chincoteague Pony Identification Program” and of the ID requests we have each year, less than 15% of the ponies can be verified as authentic Chincoteague Ponies. As you can imagine, there are a lot of disappointed owners but in order to protect the breed, we take great care in confirming a pony’s identity before recognizing it as a Chincoteague Pony. How does the program work and what do we look for before we accept a pony into the registry? Please read on!

Submitting an ID request is very simple, owners can either send us an email or fill out a form on our Chincoteague Pony ID page (https://www.chincoteagueponyassociation.com/chincoteague...). We always suggest the owners send us as much information about their pony as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the pony’s: name, age, height, sex, any paperwork they have for it, the farm it came from or past owner’s name, sire or dam, and photos clearly showing the pony and any markings it might have. The more information that an owner can provide, the better the chance we might be able to ID the pony.

Once we receive the pony’s information, it is reviewed by several of our staff members and we look for anything that can provide us with a lead as to who the pony is or if there is something that would indicate the pony’s heritage. Some of the questions we ask are:
1. Do they have some form of paperwork or paper trail to follow?
2. Does the pony meet the breed standards? (color, height, conformation)
3. Does it have any identifiable markings? Ponies that don’t have any markings or some form of paperwork to confirm where/who they came from typically stop here.
4. Can we match the pony to any of the foals that came from the island in or around the time frame it was said to have been born/sold?
5. Does it match any of the ponies from known breeders?
6. If it isn’t from a known breeder, can we verify its parentage?
7. Are there any reputable people in the Chincoteague pony community who are familiar with the pony and can help confirm its heritage?
8. If the owner decides to do DNA testing, do the breed composition results match the currently tested Chincoteague Ponies, is it a 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree relative of two or more of the currently DNA tested ponies in partner lab’s (Etalon Equine Genetics) database, and is it unanimously approved by ICPAR board?
9. If the owner claims the pony is a Half Chincoteague, can we confirm its sire or dam is a full Chincoteague by using the criteria in 1-8

If the pony isn’t verified, then we will not recognize it as a Chincoteague pony. Owners are always welcome to send more information on their pony for re-evaluation and we will keep their pony’s information on file in case we come across a match in the future.

We hope as time goes on, that more and more ponies will be registered and there will be fewer ID requests. That being said, if you own a Chincoteague pony PLEASE make sure that you register it and if you have to sell it, make sure that its papers go with it. The Chincoteague pony is a small breed (an estimated 2,000 currently living ponies) it is very important that we preserve them and their bloodlines so everyone can continue to enjoy the breed for years to come!
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If you have a pony you would like us to ID, have registration questions or any information that might help us ID ponies in the future, please reach out!
https://www.chincoteagueponyassociation.com/contact.html

We are so excited to announce TWO NEW ICPAR programs!!!

1. The Commemorative Buyback Registration program (EXCLUSIVELY for buyback donors)
Each individual who registers a pony will receive:
- A certificate that recognizes their involvement in the donation and naming of their buyback
- One 8x10 photo pedigree featuring the buyback and its recorded 1st & 2nd generation relatives
- One photo display folder
- The option to contribute to the buyback's page on ICPAR's website
Visit our website for more information and registration requirements: https://www.chincoteagueponyassociation.com/buyback...

2. The Souvenir Buyback Pedigree program (open to everyone)
If you don’t own a buyback but you would LOVE to have one of our pedigree photos, you can snatch get one here!
Each individual that orders will receive
* One 8x10 photo pedigree featuring your favorite buyback and its recorded 1st & 2nd generation relatives
* One photo display folder
Follow this link for more information: https://www.chincoteagueponyassociation.com/souvenir...

We are very excited to announce that the ICPAR is officially an approved outcross registry of the Pinto Horse Association of America! ​