Corolla Wild Horse Fund

6 days ago

Apparently it’s National Unicorn Day! Who knew. Not that we need a special day to celebrate our unicorns - we do that every day! 🦄🌈💜 ... See MoreSee Less

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

Our friends at Island are open for the season! See what life was like on Roanoke Island during the 19th century, and meet Corolla horses Rainbow and Grace (and lots of other farm animals too!). 🐴🐔🐮 ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

Welcome Betsy! This filly is the third foal of 2021. Her mom is a mare we call M&M and her dad is Rocky. The whole family is doing great - including Betsy’s 3 year old half-sister and the other 2 mares in the harem. M&M is an experienced mom, but as far as we know this is Rocky’s first foal. Good job Rocky! Betsy is big, feisty, and flashy just like her dad.

Betsy was born not far from where her namesake, Betsy Dowdy, and her Banker mare Bess swam across the Currituck Sound on their journey to warn American troops of British movement in the area during the Revolutionary War. You can learn more about Betsy Dowdy in this great book by Donna Campbell Smith: www.corollawildhorses.com/shop/book-an-independent-spirit/

Thank you to Barbara Haverty Pardue for welcoming me onto her property to see Betsy in person today, and for sharing her family’s long and storied history on the beach. The name Betsy was next on the list for fillies, and the fact that this foal was born in such a special place is much more than just a coincidence. 💞

May you grow up wild and free sweet Betsy, just like your ancestors! ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

'Tis the season! If you are coming to visit the horses for Spring Break, please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the do's and don'ts of the 4x4 beaches.

You must stay at least 50ft away from the horses. Approaching, enticing, or harassing in any way will result in a ticket. The Currituck County Sheriff's Department has a no-tolerance policy when it comes to the horses. Your apples and carrots will kill. Please don't cause a repeat of what happened last year, when a yearling colt was fed a whole apple, causing him to choke and die. You can read the Wild Horse Ordinance in full here: www.corollawildhorses.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/wild-horse-ordinance.pdf

It's foaling season! With so few of these horses left in the world, every single baby born to the herd is critically important. Do not disrupt families by approaching them. Foals imprint quickly and easily; it's imperative that they do not become familiar with humans at an early age. Stress can cause aggression in adult horses, which can lead to injured or even killed foals. They are also very protective and will charge, bite, and kick at humans who get too close.

Respect private property, and do not trespass in an effort to get closer to the horses. Climbing the dunes is illegal, damaging, and rude. Please be considerate when driving behind the dunes, and take care to not damage the fragile sand roads. Don't drive through standing water, don't stop in the middle of the road (or at the end of the ramp 🤯), and obey the speed limit. There are kids, dogs, and horses all over the place. Stay alert! For more information about beach driving, visit it's website: co.currituck.nc.us/beach-parking/currituck-outer-banks-beach-driving/

Our staff monitors the beach 7 a week and responds to emergency calls 24 hours a day. If you witness illegal activity or a horse in distress, you will receive immediate assistance by calling County dispatch at 252-232-2216. They will contact our herd manager directly if a horse needs help. Be sure to give as many details as you can - know your location! Google maps works on the 4x4. 😉

Seeing the horses in their natural habitat, behaving as wild horses should, is an amazing experience. Please take care to protect this special place.

More resources: www.corollawildhorses.com/community-wild-horse-toolkit/

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

We have a new foal! This is actually the second foal of 2021, but the first one has not ventured out of the marsh yet so we don't know anything about him/her and don’t have photos.

However, this little filly has been keeping us on our toes since she was born early this morning. There are three horses in the harem - mom Imp, father Dean, and another mare named Autumn. We have named the foal Billie (B names this year). Everything went fine with the birth, but then Autumn decided that Billie was hers and would not let Imp near her. Billie bonded with Autumn, and was trying to nurse even though there was no milk. We observed them for a while, but it became clear that we needed to do something to make sure Billie could nurse. Autumn was becoming increasingly more aggressive towards Imp and things were escalating quickly.

After conferring with our vet, we decided the best plan of action would be to get Imp and Billie separated from Autumn so that the pair had some time to bond with each other. We were going to sedate Autumn via a dart gun, but got lucky and she inadvertently separated herself by going over a fence that Billie couldn't get past. Our herd manager got Billie over to Imp and she immediately began nursing. We kept them separated for most of the day, and allowed Autumn to rejoin them late this afternoon. Things seem to have diffused some, and Autumn was far less aggressive towards Imp this evening. Billie still seems to think that Autumn is her mom, but at least she now knows where the milk comes from. As long as Autumn continues to allow her to nurse off Imp, it should be fine. But it's still a very precarious situation.

We will be monitoring this family closely every day until we are comfortable that they have worked out their issues. It is EXTREMELY important that they are not stressed or harassed in any way. If Billie is disrupted while nursing, a precarious situation could become catastrophic in a heartbeat. Autumn's aggression increases with stress, and if she is pushed back into uber protection mode she may not let Billie continue to nurse. She will also undoubtedly become aggressive towards any person who gets too close to the foal (which is a good thing!) so for your own safety, you need to keep your distance.

It would be great if this foal and her family were out of the public eye, like Baby 1. But they are not, so we are pleading with everyone to stay away from them. The next two weeks are going to be very busy and crowded due to Spring Break and we are quite concerned for the safety of this foal. If you love the horses, the best thing you can do for Billie is pretend like she isn't there. This family needs time to bond and figure their harem dynamics out. And Billie needs to be able to nurse when she can without disruption. It is literally a life or death situation.

Billie is strong! She swam across the canal when she was only a couple hours old, is nursing like a champ when she can, and has figured out how those long legs work. She is a fighter, and it would be a shame if we have to intervene simply because people couldn't give them some space. Autumn's hormones may yet get the better of her and we might have to step in anyway; that we can't control. But there are some things that we, as humans, CAN control, like keeping our distance and being respectful of this delicate situation. So let's do everything we can to keep them wild and free! ... See MoreSee Less

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

Last week we missed one of our Membership Drive posts that was supposed to focus on the rescue farm, so we are catching up today!

Our mission is to keep every single horse wild. Each Banker foal born on the beach deserves the chance to live and die where their ancestors did, and produce offspring that will ensure the herd's survival for many generations to come. However, that's not always possible. We will not let a horse needlessly suffer if injured or ill, and while we do everything we can to treat some things in the field, there are cases where a horse needs to be removed from the wild for more intensive care. Once a horse is removed, it cannot be returned. There is a risk of introducing disease to the unvaccinated wild herd, and removed horses also domestic incredibly fast and get used to being fed and handled within a day or two. So removal is not something we take lightly. The decision is made in conjunction with our vet and following protocols set forth in the Wild Horse Management Plan.

The rescue farm on the mainland is a place where these horses can come to heal, decompress, and be safe for the rest of their lives. Some of them go as far as saddle training, some are good candidates for adoption, others simply retire to a life of comfort out in the field with a couple friends. Each horse is different and our domestication and training strategies are adapted to fit each individual. We have several horses that are great ambassadors and do outreach, many of them are favorites among the 4Hers, all of them are cornerstones of our DNA project, and most importantly - they are all healthy, happy, and safe. They all have a purpose.

It's because of your support that we are able to do whatever it takes to save a wild horse. When we had to take Riptide to the hospital at North Carolina State University in August and he ended up staying there for almost 6 weeks, we did not have to worry about out bill because we knew that our supporters would be there for us. The trust you place in us to make the best decisions for these horses is not taken for granted. Sometimes, like with Riptide and Obi Wan (aka William), they come home healthy with a bright future. Other times, like with the orphaned foal Chris, it ends tragically despite our best efforts. But no matter what, we do everything we can to save them. With so few of these horses left in the world, every single life counts towards their long-term survival. Riptide will contribute to the population once he's old enough, even though he is no longer in the wild.

The rescue farm is also a place where people can get up close and personal with the Corolla horses in a safe way. While the pandemic caused us to hit the brakes on our in-person outreach last year, we are looking forward to getting back to our weekly open houses after Memorial Day. We also have some fun ideas in the works, like movie nights and summer camps. The farm is a great place for school field trips; we love introducing local kids to these cultural treasures living right in their own backyards! We would like for the rescue farm to become a go-to community resource for all kinds of education.

There are lots of ways to directly support the work we do at the farm! Here are a few:

➡Hay for a Day: www.corollawildhorses.com/hay-for-a-day/

➡Sponsor a rescued mustang: www.corollawildhorses.com/horse-sponsorships/

➡Memberships: www.corollawildhorses.com/memberships/

➡One-time Donations: www.corollawildhorses.com/one-time-donations/

➡Shop: www.corollawildhorses.com/cwhf-gift-shop/

Thank you so much for your continued support! ... See MoreSee Less

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