Born: June 17, 1989
Sire: Rebel
Dam: Misty II
Black Mist is a black pinto mare foaled in 1989. She is the black pinto in Misty's family since Misty's mother The Phantom. She was born in Manheim, Pennsylvania and was Misty II's fourth foal. Black Mist was the first of Misty II's foals to be born off the island. Even when she was a few hours old, Black Mist made her public debut. Newspapers told of the new descendant of Misty, the story carried as far as Tokyo.
Her sire was a thirty year old black pinto Chincoteague stallion named Rebel, owned by Joanne Kricker of Maryland. Kricker had asked if Kendy Allen was looking for a stallion to breed with Misty II. Misty II was intended to be bred back to Rebel after Black Mist was born but he was too old and died shortly after. Black Mist looks a lot like her father.
Black Mist was gentled to ride by the Allen children when she was two years old. She became a 4-H horse and competed in horse shows. Kirsten Kauffman, a girl who adored Black Mist, soon took the mare on as a special training project and took her to many shows. Kristen and Black Mist won in western pleasure in the 4-H state finals. Katye Allen trained Black Mist for hunter classes, which the mare excelled at as well, becoming quite a diversified mount. Black Mist was also a member of the world's only Chincoteague Drill Team, ridden by the team captain. She is so well trained that she can also be ridden without a saddle or bridle and only a piece of string to guide her. Black Mist is arguably the most well trained Misty family pony ever.
Black Mist took time out of her show schedule to become a mother. Her firstborn made his appearance in 1994. Like his mother the colt was very unique in appearance. He was the first solid bay in the Misty line and for this reason he was named Chesapeake Bay. Black Mist had her second foal in 2001. This time she had a filly named Morning Glory who shared her mother's black pinto coat. Her third and final foal was born in 2007, a black pinto colt named Irish Mist.
1996 marked the 50th anniversary of Marguerite Henry's book Misty of Chincoteague. To celebrate this occasion, Breyer Animal Creations created a set of models portraying Black Mist along with her mother, Misty II, and half sister, May Day Twister. The trio also attended Breyerfest that year and were greeted and admired by many fans. Black Mist often sports her special Breyer blanket when making public appearances.
With the drill team Black Mist performed at Equitana 1998,where they were named youth world champions. She was invited to the University of Louisiana to be prt of the University's Annual Horse Event. She was unfazed by having to perform after the US Army's Fifth Cavelry of Texas, whose performance inlucding cannons and gun shooting.
Black Mist has been the subject of many forms of media. She has been featured in artwork by Kevin McBride, Nancy Hogan Armour, and Caitlin McCauley. Black Mist was also the topic of a children's book by Kendy Allen titled Misty's Black Mist and the Christmas Parade, part of a series of books created for the Chincoteague Pony Centre. A chapter on Black Mist written by her rider Kirsten Kauffman was published in Equus Magazine's 2003 book Straight from the Heart II. She was also in Chincoteague Revisited by Jennifer Cording, Out of the Sea: Today's Chincoteague Pony by Lois Szymanski, and was pictured alongside her daughter and eight other Misty ponies in Horses In Living Color by Barbara Livingston. A carousel horse is being made in Black Mist's likeness for a new carousel that will be at a resort on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. A Cat's Meow piece with a picture of Black Mist standing on a stool is only available on Chincoteague.
Black Mist has been on Chincoteague every summer for Pony Penning since the opening of the Chincoteague Pony Centre. She can be seen performing in the pony shows, and giving lessons. In the winter months, Black Mist resides on a farm in Virginia with the Allens and her family herd. She retired from the public to the farm in 2011.
Click on the photo for more pictures of Black Mist
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