"I didn’t believe it until I saw it,” says the park's superintendent. “Two horses put their youngest, cutest pony in front of a car, and then the older horses went around to the windows to panhandle for food.” While comedic, the horses' boldness is leading to an unhealthy environment for visitors and animals alike. This June, a stallion seeking food head-butted a tourist. Also, aluminum foil and other unnatural materials ingested by horses may be interfering with their digestive health. For both safety and wildlife preservation, the park's "Pony Patrol" has instituted $100 fines and posted warning signs to deter humans from getting within 10 feet of Assateague's hungry wildlife.
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