Welcome, Drifiter!

This perfect little colt was born on Monday and we’ve been keeping it quiet since his parents have been staying back in the woods out of sight. But some good news would be nice right about now. So, join us in welcoming foal #4 to the herd! He was born as thunderstorms were rolling into the area so we’ve chosen the name Donner (thunder) for him. His mother is very experienced and both she and Donner are in great shape. With the exception of Drum, 2023 seems to be the year of the chestnuts so far!
Please remember to give all the horses, but especially foals, plenty of space. They need time and room to bond with their families and learn the rules of the wild. Foals are impressionable and can habituate quickly so it’s important to admire them from a distance. These horses face so many natural challenges that we can’t control, so it’s critical that we humans don’t make things unnecessarily hard for them.
We are sad to report tonight the death of 12-year-old wild mare Caroline.
May 3, 2023
Our weather was very unsettled on Sunday and we had a feeling a foal or two may make an appearance because of it, and we were right! This colt was born late Sunday or early Monday morning. His name is Drake. That makes 3 for the season so far! Two colts and a filly.
April 23, 2023
One of the most common questions we get from property owners is “what can I plant that is safe for the horses?”
The simple answer is – go native! Native plants are always the best choice for our fragile environment. The North Carolina Native Plant Society has a wonderful resource for this: https://ncwildflower.org/recommended-native-species/ By planting native species you are helping our local wildlife, from deer and horses to pollinators like bees and bats. Native plants are also more guaranteed to thrive in the harsh conditions on the Outer Banks, and help with soil conservation and ground water management.
If you’d like to go a step further and make sure that your yard is horse-friendly, here is a list of native plants you might find in our area that are dangerous to horses: https://onslow.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/05/plants-weeds-toxic-to-horses/ Note that not all of them are deadly, and many of them grow naturally anyway but aren’t really a threat to horses since they rarely eat them. The one native tree that we ask people to avoid planting is red maple – we have lost horses to red maple poisoning in the past.
One thing to always avoid – oleander. There is oleander all over the Outer Banks, but it is not native and it is highly toxic to both animals and people. There are lots of native shrubs that grow just as well here that aren’t harmful!
As for grass, you can’t go wrong with a local pasture mix. At the farm on the mainland we’ve had good luck with Kentucky 31; it grows well, is hardy, and safe for the horses. Make sure the seed you get is endophyte-free. Tall fescue grass can be infected by an endophyte fungus that is highly toxic and will cause pregnant mares to abort. Ryegrass is ok for horses in moderation but it does contain high levels of sugar and can cause health issues in horses predisposed to laminitis and metabolic issues. Clover can cause a condition called slobbers (excessive drooling) and is also high in sugar and protein; we’ve found that the wild horses don’t really like it that much anyway. Keep in mind that while this grass is generally safe for the horses, not all of it is native to our environment.
Thank you for helping us make sure the horses stay safe, and continue to thrive in their habitat!
1/23/23
Report from Meg Puckett, Herd Manager
Last Thursday morning we noticed that Junior was acting a bit colicky. Colic in horses can be caused by any number of things, from stress to gas, bad feed, secondary to another issue, or just about anything in between. Luckily our vet was right around the corner, and already on his way to us for a previously scheduled, non-emergency appointment. When he arrived at the farm he immediately began to treat Junior for colic, which included a rectal exam to check for any blockages or twists in his intestines (neither of which were found), administering pain medication, and giving him fluids through a nasal tube. Junior responded somewhat well to treatment, but within a couple hours was displaying signs of being uncomfortable again. At that point our vet referred us to the hospital at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
We arrived at the hospital around 5:30pm where Junior was admitted and vets worked through the night to stabilize him and try to figure out what exactly was causing the colic. Friday morning they scoped him and found a section of his small intestine that was highly inflamed, and fluid that was collected indicated a very high white blood cell count. Junior was taken into surgery Friday afternoon where vets discovered he had strangulating lipoma. This is when a fatty cyst attaches to the intestine and damages it. The surgeons were able to remove several feet of damaged intestine and repair what was left, perform an abdominal lavage, and administer medication directly into the affected site. Junior did really well during surgery and while recovering from anesthesia.
The days immediately following surgery have been difficult, but Junior has been slowly heading in the right direction. He still has an abdominal drain inserted and is on antibiotics, but yesterday he was taken off IV fluids and pain medication and has handled that well so far. He’s eating a small amount, and the vets hope to increase his food intake little by little every day. Overall he is doing as good as anyone could hope for, but he is still in critical condition. We anticipate at least a ten day hospital stay for him, and then four to five months of recovery at home before he’ll be able to resume a somewhat normal life. He will live with an increased risk of colic and the formation of lesions on his intestines, but all of that is a bridge we will cross when we come to it. For right now we are taking things hour by hour and hoping that he continues to improve a little each day.
1130E Corolla Village Road
Corolla, NC 27927
(252) 453-8002
OPEN:
Apr 16 – May 3: Wed – Sat, 11 am – 3 pm
May 6 – Season: Tue – Sat, 9 am – 3 pm
Get the latest updates on the Banker horses and our work to protect and preserve them
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