To protect, conserve, and responsibly manage the herd of Corolla wild horses (Bankers) roaming freely on the northernmost Currituck Outer Banks, and to promote the continued preservation of this land as a permanent sanctuary for horses designated as the State Horse and defined as a cultural treasure by the state of North Carolina.
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-08-05 15:34:022025-09-19 20:00:06CWHF Soy Candle
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-08-05 12:13:092025-09-19 20:00:06Banker Stallion with Story
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-07-10 13:02:022025-09-19 20:00:06CWHF 2026 Calendar
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Dan Gillogly2025-07-04 09:45:322025-09-19 20:00:06Beach Retreat Handcrafted Soap
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Joe2025-04-29 12:01:342025-09-19 20:00:09The Banker Horses of Corolla – CWHF’s Museum Companion Book
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Joe2025-04-26 14:52:022025-09-19 20:00:15Butts to the Wind Beach Towel
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Joe2025-04-26 11:59:422025-09-19 20:00:16Wild Banker Horses Ornament
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2024-09-11 16:58:192025-09-12 14:15:55Your Very Own RaymondCWHF Community Cares Partner is how we acknowledge, highlight, and thank local businesses and individuals who embrace the CWHF, our mission and support us diligently. These partnerships are vital to our cause. Together we create shared visions and projects benefiting the horses. We offer goodwill and support to each other while working together to keep our beloved Banker mustangs wild and free.
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-05-23 12:40:202025-05-26 12:46:23All’s Well and Ends Well
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-04-11 10:45:242025-04-24 10:47:50Introducing Folly
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-04-09 10:48:302025-04-24 12:33:19Riptide Goes to Raleigh!
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2025-03-21 14:39:392025-03-26 14:44:56Announcing the first foal of 2025
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2024-11-06 13:20:352024-11-06 13:20:35Remembering Raymond
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2024-07-29 18:52:452024-07-30 18:58:46Fatal Wild Horse Incident
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2024-05-08 12:50:192024-05-16 12:51:25Elvis has arrived!
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2024-05-06 12:47:042024-05-16 12:48:58It’s a Girl!
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Corolla Wild Horse Fund2024-04-29 12:44:152024-05-16 12:46:25Hello, Ezra!
On Thursday, September 11 at approximately 6:30pm a call was made to 911 to report a horse that was struck by a vehicle in the 2000 block of Sandpiper Rd. Witnesses reported that the horse was hit and fell down, but was able to stand back up on her own and rejoin her group. Fortunately the mare did not sustain any serious injuries and has been moving and behaving normally since the incident.
Statement from the Currituck County Sheriff’s Department:
“Driver was traveling south on Sandfiddler when a horse ran out from his right. Driver hit the horse, watched it get up, and then drove away. Driver was charged with county ordinance sec 3-34. Male driver pleaded guilty to charges, he paid the fine and court costs and was released back to his family.”
Sec. 3-34 of the Currituck County Wild Horse Ordinance states: Notice of injury to authorities. It shall be unlawful for any person injuring a wild horse to fail to notify immediately the animal control officer or sheriff's department.
You can read the ordinance in its entirety here: www.corollawildhorses.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/wild-horse-ordinance.pdf
CWHF would like to thank the many witnesses who reached out with information about the incident so that we could identify the mare that was hit and monitor her for any signs of injury. We are extremely relieved that this incident did not result in serious injury or death, but would like to remind all drivers on the 4x4 to always use caution and drive slowly. This mare was the fourth horse to be struck in 2025.
If you witness a horse in danger or distress, please call 252-453-3633 (or 911) immediately.
The photo included in this post is of the mare who was struck, and was taken on Sunday, September 14. Media outlets have permission to share, with credit to CWHF.
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Fall on the Outer Banks - the horses are getting fuzzy, the days are getting shorter, the persimmons are ripe, and we had a nor'easter yesterday. Doesn't get much more authentic than that! 🍂
All photos taken today, except for the first one with the persimmon tree, which was taken on Monday.
www.corollawildhorses.org
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Our herd management team located the mare with the granulation tissue in her eye socket early yesterday afternoon. For background on this situation, please see our past posts about it:
First post: www.facebook.com/share/16FqyDaQof/
Second post: www.facebook.com/share/16xBxRewWo/
Friday’s post: www.facebook.com/share/1F3cckDfxi/
As this video shows, the mare is up and moving around freely. We’d like to provide some additional information based on some of the questions and comments we’ve gotten since Friday.
Body condition: This mare is 35+ years old. She has exceeded the normal lifespan of a wild horse, and of most domestic horses as well. She is very old. Her body condition is indicative of her age and not related to the tissue in her eye socket. It is common for a horse’s teeth to wear down as they age causing decreased chewing efficiency. This is a natural part of the aging process. In addition to that, older horses lose muscle tone down their back and hindquarters, which can cause the spine and hips to become more prominent. Age causes their bodies to break down just as it does every other animal.
The tissue in her eye socket: This mare lost her eye several years ago. There is no eye left to remove; what has developed in the eye socket is granulation tissue. This is a response to the body’s healing process and because of that it contains a lot of blood vessels. The tissue has been bleeding and scabbing over all summer - this is not a new development and it is typical for granulation tissue. Antibiotics are not used to treat this condition. There is no viable, humane way to treat or fix this issue for this particular horse; not in April when she first presented with it, and not now. There would be no way to make her any more comfortable at the farm than she currently is in the wild.
Behavior: As this video shows, the mare is moving about freely, she is keeping up with her stallion (he is just out of frame), she is bright and alert, and she is very averse to any human interaction. We only had a minute or two to get zoomed-in photos before she began moving away back into the brush. She is not displaying any of the typical, clinical signs of being in pain. Her behavior is what we’d expect from a wild horse her age.
This mare is eating and drinking, her bodily functions are normal, the mud on her legs indicates that she’s going into the marsh which means she is covering some ground, she is alert and aware of her surroundings and interacting normally with the other horses, and she has made it abundantly clear that human encroachment makes her uncomfortable. We will continue to be as minimally invasive as possible in monitoring her, and adjust our plan accordingly based on the behaviors we observe and under the direction of our herd management team and veterinarian. At this time the mare does not require intervention.
If you see a horse you believe to be in danger or distress, please immediately call 252-453-3633 so that CWHF can be notified and law enforcement can be dispatched if necessary. We are on call 24/7 and can be reached at any time.
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A post is circulating around some local Facebook groups about the older mare with the granulated tissue in her eye socket who we’ve been monitoring for the last six months. This post has generated some concern and we wanted to once again give some background and insight into our approach to managing her situation.
For background see our first post about her: www.facebook.com/share/16FqyDaQof/
And our second post about her: www.facebook.com/share/16xBxRewWo/
This mare lost her eye several years ago. There is no eye to remove, and there is no feasible or humane way to treat/remove the tissue that is there now. This was true in April when she first presented with it, and it remains true today. She would not be able to come to the farm and live out the rest of her days any more comfortably than she is living them out now.
At the beginning of August this mare and her stallion began exclusively staying west of the dunes on a large piece of minimally developed private property. The owners generously allowed CWHF access to the area to monitor her, and for several weeks we checked on her every day. Her weight did fluctuate some during several heat waves, but overall her condition was very stable and her behavior remained normal. She began to show signs of irritation at our daily intrusions into her life, so we made the decision to back off and check in on her once or twice a week. The last few times we’ve gone back to look for her (Thursday being the most recent) we have not seen her. We were told by the owners of the property that they’d seen her recently, and that while her overall condition may have looked just a bit worse, she was still behaving normally.
The property is vast, and is bordered by thousands of acres of protected state and federal land that is inaccessible by vehicle and often even by foot. If this mare has chosen to go deep into the brush and marsh we respect her right to solitude away from humans. This is how these horses have lived and died for hundreds of years, and just because we now have drones and long angle lenses and can see it happening doesn’t mean we should be interfering with the natural cycle of life.
The tissue may be very troubling for some people to see, but it's important to remember that making herd management decisions based on our own emotions and conjecture is not in the horses' best interest. We make management decisions based on observable behaviors under the direction of experts in the field. So far this mare has not shown any clinical signs of being in a great amount of pain, she is able to move around freely to eat and drink, and she has consistently shown an aversion to human interaction. She is very wild, and she is doing what a wild horse does at the end of their life. If she is able to die naturally without ever having human hands on her then we will consider that a success. That is what we want for each and every one of these horses.
Anyone who observes a horse they believe to be in distress should immediately report the horse’s location to CWHF. We can be reached any time of the day or night by calling the Currituck County Communications Center at 252-453-3633. They will call us to relay the information and can dispatch law enforcement if necessary.
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Foaling season here on the Outer Banks is winding down so we thought we'd do a photo update on this year's foals, including our newest arrival, a filly who was born over the weekend!
The Corolla herd welcomed nine new members in 2025 - six fillies, two colts, and one still unconfirmed (we spotted them from the helicopter earlier this summer, but they do not come out of the marshy areas often and we have no reason to track them down and disturb them - mom and foal both looked great!).
It's not completely out of the ordinary to have a foal born later in the fall so we still may have one or two on the way, but even if we don't we are thrilled with this year's crop! They are all healthy and thriving.
Please remember that foals are very impressionable and easily habituated. Do not encourage them to seek out human attention and definitely never feed them. These youngsters are the future of the Corolla herd and it's imperative that we all work together to ensure their survival in the wild.
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Quick update on the mare and colt we posted about on Friday - both of these photos were taken in the last hour.
The mare is still keeping up with her new harem, grazing, and is more bright and alert than she was on Friday. The wound on her shoulder is looking like we’d expect it to. Not at a very pretty stage of the healing process, but draining as it should.
Her colt is still with his harem as well (there are no other horses with him in that photo but they were close by - don’t worry!). He’s maintaining weight and seems completely relaxed and happy.
This continues to be a “day at a time” situation but so far today things are looking good! 🤞
(Original post about these two is just below this one.)
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We’ve been getting a lot of calls about a mare who is thin, and has a puncture wound on her shoulder from a stallion bite. We wanted to share some details about the situation and assure everyone we are monitoring her very closely under the direction of our veterinarian.
This mare had her first foal this year. Being pregnant through the winter and then giving birth and nursing through early spring was hard on her, and she did drop quite a bit of weight. Her foal has been in excellent shape since he was born, so she was doing a good job, it was just taking a lot out of her. Interestingly, her mother was exactly the same way when she had her (she was her mother’s first foal). After she was weaned, her mother plumped right back up and then with her second foal didn't drop any weight. We are interested to see if this will be the case with her as well - perhaps this is typical for this particular family line, and that kind of information can help us with future breed conservation and herd management decisions.
Anyway, fast forward to this past Monday when our staff saw the colt with the harem but there was no sign of his mom. He was interacting normally with the other horses in the group, grazing, in excellent body condition, and not displaying any signs of stress. We touched base with the vet just to be on the safe side, but decided not to intervene at that point since everything seemed fine and he is old enough to be weaned. We are continuing to monitor him closely and will step in if necessary but so far, so good.
On Tuesday we located his mother with a different group of horses, and she had a bite wound on her shoulder. We believe that two stallions were fighting over mares and she got stolen and then separated from her colt and the other harem.
The puncture wound on her shoulder is probably not life-threatening. It’s draining well and we’ve had countless other horses with similar and even worse wounds heal up with no problem and no need for intervention. Her body condition is definitely of some concern, but we hope that now that she’s not losing calories to a nursing foal she will start to gain some weight back. We still have at least three months of warm weather and plenty to eat, so as long as she continues to keep up with her harem and behave normally we will not intervene.
Young mares are invaluable when it comes to the genetic health and long-term wellbeing of the herd, so we want to give her every chance to heal on her own so she can stay wild. This is also a normal, natural (albeit sometimes uncomfortable for us) part of being a wild horse. We will continue to monitor her closely, update our vet regularly, and be prepared to step in if that becomes the appropriate course of action.
We are very appreciative of everyone who has reached out in concern over the last few days. If you witness a horse in distress or danger, please never hesitate to call our office during business hours (252-453-8002) or county dispatch any time of the day or night (252-453-3633). We are on-call 24/7.
*Photo taken a couple weeks ago, before mare and foal were separated.
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Today is our last farm open house of the summer season! It’s a beautiful day - come out and meet the rescued Banker horses in our care.
(Our fall open house will take place on October 11 - details to follow!)
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Middleton Clay Project is doing one last run of Raymond pots. 🩵 Preorder now - link below.
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.5 CommentsComment on Facebook
The wild horses are just fine and doing exactly what they do any time the weather is bad - using the live oaks for cover but generally just going about their business as usual. All in all the impacts from Hurricane Erin haven’t been too bad here on the north beach. We are extremely grateful for that! Once we get through tonight’s high tide things should hopefully start getting back to normal. 🌊🐴
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Our store and museum in Corolla will be closed tomorrow so our staff is not out driving around in bad weather. As of right now we do plan on being open Friday but if that changes for some reason we will update this post.
You can shop online anytime - www.corollawildhorses.com/cwhf-gift-shop/
If you are on the Outer Banks right now, please take care and stay safe as Hurricane Erin blows by. 🌀
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Open house at the farm is on for tomorrow! Stay out of the angry ocean and come see the rescued Banker horses in our care instead. 😉
More info: Mustang Mornings at the Farm
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Come see us this morning in Duck! 10am on the town green, free and open to the public.We are excited to welcome back the Corolla Wild Horse Fund to the Town Green on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:00 a.m. Come meet Riptide, a rescued, gentled Banker horse and learn more about the wild horses, the rescue farm, and what the Corolla Wild Horse Fund does to keep the horses safe and thriving.
Riptide is a 6-year-old stallion who was rescued as a yearling in the summer of 2020 when he contracted a potentially fatal fungal infection. Riptide spent nearly six weeks in the hospital at NC State while the vets there worked diligently to save his life. He has fully recovered from the infection and has become an excellent ambassador for the Banker breed.
Thank you to Carolina Designs Vacation Rentals for their support in bringing Riptide to the Town of Duck.
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Update - 8/19, 10pm: A mandatory evacuation has been ordered for the 4x4 area of Currituck County (where the wild horses live). This was done to prevent people from being stranded in their homes due to high surf, not because the forecast has changed. It does not change anything about the impact the storm will have on the horses - they have access to thousands of acres away from the ocean. Please be safe if you are heading out tomorrow!
We’ve been getting quite a few questions and concerns today about the hurricane - hopefully this answers those questions and puts some minds at ease.
This herd of wild horses lives in Currituck County, at the northernmost part of the Outer Banks. Their habitat ends at the Virginia state line, and comprises about 8,000 acres of land that includes maritime forest, marsh, and an 11 mile strand of beach. What you see when you drive around the area, take a horse tour, or even rent a vacation home is just a very small part of it. Check out these photos from a recent aerial survey to get a better idea of what the habitat looks like: www.facebook.com/share/19ezRWH1pw/
The Bankers have survived on these barrier islands for hundreds of years and have successfully weathered countless storms. It’s a natural part of life for them and has been for many, many generations. We would never round them up and move them ahead of a storm. It’s completely unfeasible and unsafe for a mile-long list of reasons, and would be a gross overreach from a herd management perspective.
Currituck County is not currently under a state of emergency nor have any evacuation orders been issued for us at this point. Hatteras (Dare County) and Ocracoke (Hyde County) are being evacuated due to the threat of ocean overwash on Highway 12, which will strand people for days if not longer. That is not currently a concern north of Oregon Inlet. For those unfamiliar with the area, the fire station in Carova where the wild horses live is 90 miles north of Cape Hatteras. Here in Currituck we are expecting minor to moderate coastal flooding through Thursday, a high risk of rip currents, and some wind (gusts up to 40mph) and rain Wednesday into Thursday.
The beach may be impassable at times, especially around high tide, but the impact on the horses should be very minimal. Of course, things could change and the unexpected could happen, but all we can do is keep an eye on the forecast, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Such is life on the Outer Banks.
If you are vacationing here this week, please follow Currituck County Emergency Management for updates and adhere to their directives. Do not put yourself or our first responders in danger by going out into the ocean or driving through water. Please stay safe out there!
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“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” -Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
(Photos taken over the last week or so by our staff as they’ve been out monitoring the herd.)
www.corollawildhorses.org
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At approximately 5am on Monday, August 11 a driver called 911 to report having struck a horse in the 2000 block of Sandpiper Road in the 4x4 area of Corolla. At this time we do not have any additional details about the nature of the collision or the driver, as that falls under the jurisdiction of the sheriff’s department.
The horse who was struck was 10-year-old stallion Francisco. He was an otherwise healthy, young stallion with a harem of four mares, a yearling colt, and a four-month-old colt (the colts’ parentage have not been verified by DNA so it is currently unknown if Francisco was sire to either of them). After examining the body, our veterinarian determined that Francisco sustained the following fatal injuries: complete fracture of the radius and ulna, ruptured eye with periocular fractures, fractured ribs with subcutaneous emphysema, and likely ruptured diaphragm with pneumoabdomen.
Our staff has observed the rest of the horses in the harem behaving normally and we have no reason to be concerned for their safety or well-being at this time.
Please drive carefully and be aware of your surroundings at all times. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of obeying all traffic regulations on the 4-wheel-drive. These tragic incidents can be avoided through vigilance and personal responsibility.
*Media has permission to use the information and photos contained in this post with credit to CWHF
www.corollawildhorses.org
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By shopping from the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, you are helping the Banker horses and our mission to protect and preserve them with every purchase you make. We are the only place where 100% of the proceeds go to help the horses.
Not only have we added new items to our gift shop in Corolla and online, we are fully stocked with CWHF exclusive merchandise that you can’t find anywhere else. From hats to wine glasses, magnets and ornaments, bottle openers and coasters, t-shirts and keychains, and even locally-made, natural soy candles - we have something for everyone!
www.corollawildhorses.com/cwhf-gift-shop/
And don’t forget to grab an annual Corolla Wild Horse Fund Calendar for 2026!
www.corollawildhorses.com/shop/cwhf-2026-calendar/
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Wild ponies and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse - quintessential Corolla for 150 years. 🌟
Happy National Lighthouse Day!
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We would like to thank our Community Cares Partners for supporting the Corolla Wild Horse Fund mission and the wild Banker horses!
When the community comes together and partnerships are formed, everyone wins—especially the horses. 🐴
To learn more about this program and our current partners, visit www.corollawildhorses.com/community-cares/.
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Do you want to get up close and personal with a Banker horse in a safe, responsible, and fun way? Then come see us tomorrow at our farm open house!
There are 19 formerly wild Banker horses who call this farm sanctuary home, each with a unique story. Some were rescued due to life-threatening illness or injury, others were sadly removed from the wild due to human-caused habituation. Learn about the history of CWHF, chat with us about our on-going efforts to protect the herd and its habitat, and meet the staff who cares for the horses on the farm as well as those in the wild. It's a great opportunity to better understand how we manage the herd and learn about why it's so important for the public to play an active, supporting role as well.
Plus you might get a smooch from Brio if you're lucky. 😘
More information: www.facebook.com/events/1204545211316588/1204545227983253
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