BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. () – Tucked deep on St. Helena Island, the sound of wild marshland ponies once echoed across the marshes. Their neighing and grunting filled the air, a sound that many locals believed brought a certain magic to the area.

But, like all things, that magic couldn’t last forever.

For over a decade, Dr. Venaye Reece, a retired equine veterinarian, has lived on Horse Island, caring for the ponies and ensuring their well-being.

“As the ponies aged, and we aged, and the habitat aged and changed, we reached an unsustainable point,” she said.  

Over time, the needs of the ponies became too much for Reece and her husband, Dave, to handle alone. Health issues, lack of food and a rapidly changing environment all contributed to the difficult decision to have the ponies rehomed.

“It’s very bittersweet for me. I feel incredibly sad that they’re gone, but I feel relieved and content that they’re in good hands now,” said Reece.

With the support of Beaufort County Animal Services, the herd of seven ponies was safely removed and divided into two separate foster homes.

Though many people were concerned about removing the ponies from their natural habitat, Reece, county officials, and the foster families all agreed that rehoming was the right choice.

“They didn’t want them to be really domesticated. But to a point they have to be a little bit, at least for their own care and being able to handle them,” said Nichole Bradley, one of the foster caregivers.

Brandi O’Brien, another foster, added, “I just hope people realize that they’re, you know, they’re in a safe place. They’re being well cared for. And we’re just going to continue to let them be wild ponies… just in a different location.”

While the ponies have left the island where they once roamed freely, their legacy remains, through their healthy new lives, and the tracks still visible in the pluff mud of Horse Island.

“What I’d like people to remember is that they were here for a long time. And with that, the history and the magic of it is what remains,” said Reece.

To stay up to date on the marshland ponies in their new homes, you can follow their Facebook page.  

To help with vet funds and long-term health care, you can donate to the GoFundMe or The Wild Horse Fund.