Marsh tacky horses Moon, Soleil arrive ahead of ‘Barn Raising’ event

Moon and Soleil, a pair of marsh tacky horses, were expected Tuesday on Daufuskie Island, where they will join two of their kin in the Daufuskie Marsh Tacky Society herd.

Erica Marie Veit, the society’s founder and executive director, waited in the rain at Broad Creek Marina for David Grant of “Horse Tales TV” to hand off the mares and help load them on the barge bound for Daufuskie.

Grant will be at Wednesday’s “Barn Raising” event — a welcome celebration for the horses and fundraiser for the society — which will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., rain or shine, at the barn across from the Freeport Marina on the island. Grant is bringing his own marsh tacky horses, Veit said, so there will be nine of the sturdy little animals at the barn.

Attendees will be able to meet the horses, enjoy music by Cranford Hollow, eat barbecue and participate in raffles.

Moon and Soleil’s previous owner, Jeannette Beranger, of Siler City, N.C., said there are only about 350 living marsh tackys. The breed is endangered, Veit said, and it traces its roots back to Spanish explorers who arrived in the 1500s.

“For one reason or another they were eventually abandoned or left to fend for themselves,” Veit said. “They thrived independently here, on Hilton Head and Daufuskie, and because they were isolated they grew into their own unique type of horse, similar to the mustang out West or the Florida Cracker Horse.”

As part of the society’s mission is protecting and growing the number of the marsh tackys, Veit hopes to breed her stud colt with Moon and Soleil.

“We’re excited to be working toward having marsh tacky babies on Daufuskie this time next year,” she said.

Moon, Beranger said, used to kick around a soccer ball in the field with her daughter. As a baby, Soleil would chase deer out of the paddock.

“They’re both so much alike, mother like daughter,” she said, explaining Moon is Soleil’s mother.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Marsh tacky horses Moon, Soleil arrive ahead of ‘Barn Raising’ event."