The Search Wizard
Overview
This website has a list containing information for all the ponies that currently make up the herd owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company in Virginia. Foals that have not gone through the auction in July are not included. The Search Wizard allows you to narrow down that list to a much smaller list based on physical traits like color and facial markings. This is accomplished by ticking checkboxes on and off. In many cases, you can get the list down to 1 or 2.
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The number of ponies satisfying the current search criteria is displayed in red at the top left. Each time a filter is selected or unselected that number changes. The View List button takes you to the Results page where you can browse through the list. It's possible to browse the entire herd simply by NOT checking any boxes. If the number found is zero, the View List button will be grayed out. The Current Filters button displays a list of checked filter options. This is particularly helpful for finding accidently checked boxes, especially on your phone where only a few choices are visible at a time. The Clear Filters button unchecks all the boxes. ​
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The wizard has 7 categories of filters to choose from: sex, color, face markings, leg markings, color pattern, brand, and blue eyes. Almost all the categories have a list of choices associated with them. The Blue Eyes category though is an on/off (yes/no) switch. Because checking all the boxes in a category produces the same results as checking no boxes, the system will uncheck them if you try to check them all.
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The options that narrow down the list the quickest are blue eyes, sex: stallion, colors: palomino, buckskin, or black, and brand. There are only a handful of ponies with blue eyes. Certain conditions like cataracts, however, may make the eye appear blue when the true color is brown. Stallions make up about 15% of the herd. Approximately 11% of the herd are black, 13% are buckskin, and 10% are palomino. Specific brands make up no more than about 7% of the herd.
The page has been designed so that all the filters fit on 1 computer screen. The mobile version has all the same elements rearranged to fit the smaller dimensions of the device.
Color is usually the first thing you'll notice about a pony, followed by whether the coat has pinto markings.
Colors
For simplicity's sake, this website has 5 color options. Usually identifying the color is pretty easy however there are times when it can be tricky, especially from a distance. For example, in summer, black ponies often look bay. Or it may be difficult to distingush between bay and chestnut when pinto markings cover wide areas. You have the ability to check all the possible colors at once or one at a time.
Color Definitions
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Bay: Any dark colored horse with black points*. Colors range from shades of red to very dark brown.
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Buckskin: Any light colored horse with black/brown points*. Colors range from very light cream to yellow, tan, or gold.
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Black: An all black horse including points*.
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Chestnut: A reddish brown horse. Colors range from light red to deep mahogany.
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Palomino: A pale horse with white mane and tail. Colors range from cream to golden.
*points: legs, muzzle, mane and tail, and tips of ears​​
bay
buckskin
black
chestnut
palomino
Bay Examples
Coat Pattern
Any color horse may have white on the body, face, and legs. A solid-colored horse has no white on the body. Pinto horses have patches of white on their bodies. They may or may not have white on the face and legs. Any color horse can be a pinto. When the pinto option is selected, you can also choose how much white is present on the left and/or right sides. Determining the amount of white is highly subjective. Your opinion may differ from mine. When in doubt, select all that may apply. Remember these choices are for the left and right of the horse. Viewed from the front or back may not be indicative of the overall pattern.
Pinto Examples
