Sable Island is by no means a great place to live. It’s composed mostly of sand, rocks and salty marsh grass. The surrounding sea is also home to over 350 shipwrecks, recorded since 1583. Still, to five people and a herd of wild horses, this island is home.

Sable Island is located in the Atlantic Ocean about 300 kilometres south of Nova Scotia. Five people –four from Environment Canada and one researcher- inhabit the island in addition to approximately a little over 300 free-roaming horses. The horses are guessed to be descendants of Acadian horses that were left on the island following the Great Expulsion- an event where thousands of Acadians were forced to leave their homes for the US. During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, the horses were rounded up and sent to the mainland to work in coal mines on Cape Breton Island. However in 1961, the Sable Island Ponies (as they’ve come to be called) have come under protection of the Canadian Government and can longer be interfered with by humans. The island is now a tourist attraction where tourists come from all over the world to view the horses from a distance.

The few Sable Island ponies that have been tamed and ridden have been noted to be tough, enduring, smart and capable of great stamina. Their ability to survive in inhospitable environments have allowed for their strength and hardiness. The breed characteristics generally include a straight profile and short stocky frames with low-set tails. They sound like they’d make a great horse. Sadly unlike the ponies of Chincoteague Island, they’re not offered at auction and can only be admired from a distance. However their inattainability is one of their enduring qualities. They are certainly a wonderful representation of Canada’s maritime wildlife.