Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 day ago

On the evening of October 14th, we received a call about a horse that had been behaving abnormally for about a day, and had gone down and seemed unable to get up. Our staff responded and found 25-year-old Daisy (also known as Snowcone) indeed unable and/or unwilling to stand up and move. Based on multiple factors (the late hour, the weather, the fact that it would be unsafe to trailer Daisy in that state, and the fact that she was in a very safe and secure location) our veterinarian advised that we administer pain medication and then reconvene on-site first thing in the morning to reassess.

On the morning of October 15th, CWHF staff, along with our veterinarian, returned to the site and found Daisy standing, though still not particularly stable. We were able to easily capture her, and our vet administered more pain medication before we loaded her onto the trailer to bring her to the farm for further treatment. She made the trip quite well. Daisy was presenting with a variety of symptoms that could have been caused by any number of things, so our vet drew blood to start the diagnostic process and we got her as comfortable as possible while we waited for more answers. However, during the night Daisy passed away quietly on her own.

The following morning we took Daisy’s body to the state lab in Raleigh for a necropsy. Findings indicated chronic cardiac and liver changes along with several other conditions indicative of old age. Nothing else was found to suggest acute illness, communicable disease, toxicity, or anything else along those lines.

Daisy was one of the more well-known horses on the beach because she was a part of Raymond the mule’s harem for years until he was brought to the farm in 2019. Her distinctive blaze made her recognizable, and was how she got the name Snowcone. She was big and bossy - a chestnut mare through and through. She had to be to keep Raymond in line. We know she had multiple foals over the years, and now that we have her DNA we’ll be able to identify any offspring of hers still in the wild. Daisy certainly lived and died on her own terms, but we’re glad that we were at least able to make her last few hours pain-free. She also got to see her old friend Raymond one last time.

We’d like to extend a very special thank-you to the Conns for calling about Daisy and being so kind and supportive throughout this difficult situation. Daisy (and the rest of the horses) are lucky to have people like the Conns in their corner. We are so grateful.

Rest easy, Daisy.

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

7 days ago

Our hay costs at the rescue farm are covered for the next few months! Thank you so much for your generous support during #GivingTuesday yesterday. 🫶

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

You may have noticed the nets we put on the large bales of hay that we feed the horses at the rescue farm. They serve a few very important functions. First and foremost, they slow down consumption since the horses have to work a bit harder to get the hay through the holes in the net. This helps us manage their weight. The nets also keep the hay contained and prevent the horses from walking through it and pooping in it. By making the bale last longer and preventing lots of waste the nets also end up saving us quite a bit of money in the long run.

We get these nets from Official Big Bale Buddy & Slow Bale Buddy, who are big supporters of rescues like ours. The nets are incredibly well made and last for years, and the fact that this company is so great to work with is just icing on the cake. We really appreciate everything they do to make these nets affordable for us!

On this #GivingTuesday, please consider making a donation to CWHF to help cover our hay costs for the winter. Your support makes a huge difference in the lives of these horses and you can rest assured that your donation will go directly towards their care.

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

Make a one-time donation: www.corollawildhorses.com/one-time-donations/

Sponsor a rescued horse: www.corollawildhorses.com/horse-sponsorships/ ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

The CWHF rescue farm is home to twenty four very special horses. Each of them were born in the wild but then had to be removed for various reasons, ranging from life-threatening injuries and medical conditions, to severe habituation and behavioral issues that put them and humans in danger. Removing a horse from the wild is a last resort option, and one that we do not take lightly, but sometimes it is truly the best thing for the horse’s wellbeing.

Our farm is a sanctuary for these horses; a place where they can live out the rest of their days with the care and support they need to stay healthy, enriched, and safe.

Caring for more than 20 horses, all at different levels of training, different life stages, and with different past traumas and medical issues can be quite a challenge! Each horse is unique and what works best for one might not work for another. We have to be flexible, good at compromise, and patient. But the one thing that rarely changes is the fact that our horses here go through a lot of hay. In fact, hay is our biggest regular expense at the farm.

Horses are meant to graze most of the day and night (15-17 hours at the least); otherwise, stomach acid can build up and cause ulcers, and other behavioral issues can arise. And in the winter, a full belly is what keeps horses warm. Fermentation of forage in the hindgut acts as an internal furnace, keeping them warm and comfortable even during the coldest weather. At the farm, we keep hay in front of the rescue horses 24/7, giving them the chance to forage as naturally as possible. We feed a brome hay that is low in sugar and other carbohydrates and that we’ve found most closely mimics the type of forage they have available to them in the wild. We also put the hay in slow-feeder nets to make them work a little bit harder for it. The Bankers are very easy keepers and don’t require a lot of calories to survive, so keeping them in good weight while at the same time making sure they have a constant supply of hay can be a challenge!

This Giving Tuesday, we are asking for your help to make sure our hay barn (and the horses’ bellies!) stay full all winter. Hay costs have increased significantly over the last couple of years, but it’s not something that we can skimp on. Poor quality hay can cause a host of health issues, and we will never jeopardize the health and wellbeing of our horses simply to save a few dollars. Your support makes a world of difference in the rescued horses’ lives - please consider making a donation today, and know that it will go towards keeping them healthy, warm, and happy all winter long.

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

Make a one-time donation: www.corollawildhorses.com/one-time-donations/

Sponsor a rescued horse: www.corollawildhorses.com/horse-sponsorships/ ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

On this Thanksgiving Day, we are grateful for a healthy herd, our amazing staff and volunteers, our community, and of course all of you. We hope everyone has a wonderful day!

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

Submit your entries now for the 2025 CWHF calendar contest!

Please read the rules and guidelines closely before sending your photos in. Here are some tips to ensure that your photos will be considered:

📸Amateur photographers only! We do check to make sure entrants are not selling their photography on Etsy, etc.

📸Photos must be over 2MB. Phone photos can be submitted, but please make sure they are high-resolution. Zoomed-in phone photos usually do not work.

📸Please do not heavily edit or crop your photos before sending them.

📸Landscape/horizontal orientation only!

📸Photos do not have to have been taken in the last year. Please feel free to submit older photos!

Read the full list of rules and guidelines, and submit your photos here: www.corollawildhorses.com/calendarcontest/ ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

4 weeks ago

Thank you for your service, veterans. 🇺🇸 ... See MoreSee Less