Marsh Tacky — a wild horse and a shark

Witnessing herds of wild horses stirs many emotions in humans—respect, admiration, curiosity, and delight. Wild horses represent freedom; watching them run in open spaces is exhilarating. Humans have a long history with horses; they have enabled us to carry heavy loads and travel great distances. Together we have shared labor, joy, and companionship. Humanity owes a great debt to the horse. In Native American traditions, horses represent balance, giving, compassion, and power, reminding us that embracing the totality of a journey brings wisdom.

There are a few special places in the United States where herds of wild horses roam free. Most populations of wild horses are descended from the 16th-century Spanish mustangs. Some populations of wild horses living on the southeastern barrier islands of the U.S. are sometimes called “Marsh Tackies.” The name “tacky” may have come from these horses’ ability to navigate through thick mud and treacherous swampy coastal areas or the “tacky” may also have referred to them being “common” and readily available. Marsh tackies come in an array of different colors and patterns, and are relatively small, being only 13-15 hands.

In the American Revolution, Brigadier General Francis Marion’s troops found themselves with a fighting advantage by riding the Marsh Tackies through the southern lowland territories during the war. The soldiers coined the term “swamp fox trot,” describing the horses’ unique four-beat ambling gait, where each of the four feet hit the ground independently, in sequence. The tackies were also valued by the freed Gullah/Geechee farmers who are descendants of West African slaves, and are inhabitants of the barrier islands of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, from the late 1800s to present times. These farmers cherish the Marsh Tacky horses for their highly trainable nature, stamina, agility, and calm demeanor.

The barrier islands of Chincoteague and Assateague in Maryland and Virginia support herds of wild horses. Additionally, the outer banks of North Carolina have horses on Ocracoke Island and the “Corolla horses” are found between Currituck Sound and the Atlantic. In the book "Bankers, Mustangs, and Marsh Tackies" by Donna Campbell Smith, great stories are told about these horses of the coastal Carolinas. Cumberland Island National Seashore, located in Georgia, also has a beloved herd of wild horses. The horses on these islands enjoy peace, solitude, wide open beaches, and expansive salt marshes, patiently enduring mosquitos, and extreme heat.

On March 15th, 1912, The Florida Times-Union published an amazing account featuring a headstrong Marsh Tacky. At the time of the article, Fort George Island was an abundant breeding ground for wild horses. Just as the Gullah/Geechee peoples and the American soldiers re-domesticated Marsh Tackies, so did the people of Fort George Island in the early 1900s. The article tells the story of a captured Marsh Tacky horse who swam the St. Johns River and got into a fight with a shark!

This particular Marsh Tacky was sold to a Mayport resident who then released the horse to graze on the abundant marsh grass on the shores of the St. Johns River, which flows between Fort George Island and the Mayport shrimping village. Being homesick, the horse decided to return to Ft. George Island, jumped into the deep and swift flow of the river, entering the water where the modern Mayport passenger ferry crosses today. This occurrence was witnessed by two credible individuals, Captain John Daniels, a well-known pilot at Mayport, and Mr. Worley, an agent of the Florida East Coast Railway. Shortly after the horse started across the waterway, Captain Daniels witnessed the horse being attacked by a shark! A struggle ensued and the horse was able to break free from the jaws of the shark and swim back to the Mayport side, surviving the attack.

The horse walked out of the water onto the shore but unfortunately later collapsed and perished from the lacerations it sustained. Mr. Worley, also seeing the action in the water, took his boat out to see the now dead shark floating on the surface of the river, and towed the shark back to shore. Although the Marsh Tacky lost its life, it did not lose the fight! The article in the Florida Times-Union gives the horse credit for being able to simultaneously swim and fight off the shark at the same time, killing the shark with its strong kicks!     

This rare account of horse vs. shark demonstrates how Marsh Tackies are indeed survivors. They live in wild herds, have fought in battle, farmed alongside the Gullah/Geechee peoples, swam rivers, and one has killed a shark! In recent history, these wild herds of Marsh Tacky horses have brought many people enjoyment, as they wander among the natural beauty of the beaches, salt marshes, and wild woodlands of our national parks. They are truly a treasure.