Corolla Wild Horse Fund’s Herd Manager, Meg Puckett, Honored Along with Others

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The Currituck Chamber of Commerce has honored 11 area businesses and individuals with awards for Business of the Year and Tourism Awards 2021.

We are so proud of Meg Puckett, Corolla Wild Horse Fund’s Herd Manager, who received the Currituck County Travel & Tourism Individual Leadership award. Way to go Meg!

Full list of winners is below, congrats to you all:

  • Small Business of the Year (10 or less employees): WAO Garage
  • Small Business of the Year (10 or more employees): Wild Horse Adventure Tours
  • Corporate Community Service Award: Care A Lot Pet Supply
  • Most Attractive Business: Peaceful Waters Counseling and Wellness
  • Non-Profit of the Year: Currituck Family YMCA
  • Currituck Citizen of the Year: Jerry Wright
  • President’s Award: Fusion Office Business Centers
  • President’s Award: Nuts and Buds
  • President’s Award: B & M Contractors
  • Currituck County Travel & Tourism Individual Leadership Award: Meg Puckett
  • Currituck County Travel & Tourism Business of the Year Award: CINIVA

Our Herd has Increased by One!

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September 20, 2021

Report by CWHF

This colt was born Saturday afternoon and is doing well. His name is Bravo.

They gave us quite a scare Sunday morning when we went out to check on them. The adult horses were fine and behaving normally but there was no foal to be found. Cora Mae, the mother, was not acting stressed at all so we were quite stumped. We scoured the surrounded area (woods, canals, under houses) and couldn’t find any sign of the foal. After about three hours, Nikki from Corolla Jeep Adventures stopped and mentioned that she had seen the new foal a couple streets and canals south of where the rest of the family was. We rushed over and there was Bravo standing under a house. Gus and Taka were nearby so everyone who had seen him there understandably assumed they were his parents. Gus deserves a special shoutout for tolerating this foal in his space. Taka, who is a very experienced mother, probably had something to do with keeping him in line.

We scooped Bravo up and put him in the back of the SUV to take him back to his family. Cora Mae accepted him immediately, so it’s unlikely she rejected him and left him behind on purpose. We were told that there were some stallions fighting in the area late Sunday night, so our best guess is that Nobel (Bravo’s dad) aggressively chased his mares away from the challenging stallion and Bravo got left behind in the scuffle. He was far enough away from Cora Mae that she wouldn’t have been able to smell or hear him, which was probably why she was behaving as if the foal was dead – as far as she knew, he was.

Either way, all’s well that ends well. Bravo immediately nursed and is doing just fine now. Cora Mae is a great mom and very experienced (she is the dam of Valor and Riptide). We are keeping a close eye on them, as we do with all new foals, but have no reason to believe Bravo has any lasting issues or injuries. He is big, alert (he was not happy about being picked up and carried on Sunday – always a good sign!), and has fully assimilated back into the rest of the harem.

We are so very grateful to Nikki for letting us know she’d seen him – even though she didn’t realize he was separated from his mom! This is such a good example of how tour drivers help us monitor and track the horses. And we’d like to say a very special thank-you to Ronda, Heidi, and Barbara for helping us get Bravo back to his mom and also keeping an eye on them throughout the day and night. There were several other people who helped search for him, and while we didn’t get all your names please know that we are SO thankful for your help.

Bravo is the 9th foal born to the herd this year, bringing our herd count to 105. Our management plan calls for no less than 110, and no more than 130 horses so we still have some growing to do! Maybe one more late season foal will get us into the double digits for 2021 – time will tell! In the meantime, we will continue to celebrate Bravo’s very exciting birth.

Sunset Sounds Concert Event Canceled

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The final Sunset Sounds free concert event scheduled for September 16th has been canceled.

Meet Brio, Baby Number Eight

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July 20, 2021 Post from Herd Manager, Meg Puckett

Welcome foal #8! 😍 This little colt was born sometime Sunday night, probably during the thunderstorms that rolled through.
Our herd manager got a call early Monday morning that some visitors had found what looked like afterbirth in their driveway. We inspected it and shared photos with the vet, who said it looked healthy and normal so we kept an eye out all day and late yesterday evening he made his first appearance!
Welcome to the herd, Brio. His name means vitality and spirit. He is brother to Betsy, who was born in April, and it’s clear that their dad puts a very unique stamp on his offspring! Gotta love those white socks! The entire family is doing well, and we ask if you are lucky enough to see them please give them plenty of space.

It’s a Boy!

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July 20, 2021

Report by CWHF

This little colt, the eighth foal of the season, was born sometime Sunday night, probably during the thunderstorms that rolled through.
Our herd manager got a call early Monday morning that some visitors had found what looked like afterbirth in their driveway. We inspected it and shared photos with the vet, who said it looked healthy and normal so we kept an eye out all day and late yesterday evening he made his first appearance!
Welcome to the herd, Brio. His name means vitality and spirit. He is brother to Betsy, who was born in April, and it’s clear that their dad puts a very unique stamp on his offspring! Gotta love those white socks! The entire family is doing well, and we ask if you are lucky enough to see them please give them plenty of space.

Welcome Beatrice, Seventh Foal of the Season

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July 14, 2021

Report by CWHF

This filly was born on Saturday, July 10. Her name is Beatrice.
Beatrice has had an exciting first few days of life. After she was born, she didn’t nurse right away and was having a difficult time bonding with mom. But we kept a very close eye on them and thankfully by the end of the afternoon they had figured things out and everyone was doing just fine.
Then yesterday morning, our herd manager received a call around 6am that there was a foal struggling in the canal. Thank goodness there were three fishermen right there who were able to get Beatrice out of the water. Owen, Jeff, and George – you saved this filly’s life. And thank you to Carova Beach Volunteer Fire & Rescue and our staff and volunteers who responded immediately too.
Beatrice means “bringer of joy” and after the last couple weeks, with the loss of Lizzie, and Junior’s removal from the wild herd, we all certainly need a little joy in our lives.

Junior’s Rescue and Recovery

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A detailed report on Amadeo Jr. from Meg Puckett,  Herd Manager, Corolla Wild Horse Fund

July 5, 2021

Last week we almost lost another horse to choking. Because of the quick action of the people who witnessed his distress, we were able to save him and he didn’t die like Danny did last year. But it was a very close call, and now he is out of the wild forever.
We got a call Wednesday morning that Amadeo Jr, or Junior as we call him, was running around frantically, rolling, and in a lot of discomfort. We thought that he might be colicking, but upon arrival it was clear he was choking. He was behaving exactly like Danny did last year when he choked. There were several moments during the rescue where we thought he wasn’t going to make it, but we were ultimately able to get him onto the trailer and to the rescue farm, where the vet met us immediately. He confirmed the choke, and was able to get the obstruction passed. It took about 24 hours after rescue for our vet to give him the all-clear, but we are confident now that he is going to make a full recovery. In addition to the choke, he also lacerated his eyes pretty badly when he was rolling in the sand. We are medicating them twice a day and they are starting to look better but without treatment he probably would have had permanent damage to his eyes.
We can’t say for sure if Junior was choking on something he was fed, or on something he got out of the garbage, but either way the message is the same. Please, please, please be responsible and thoughtful if you are staying in the horses’ habitat. There are signs everywhere saying not to feed or approach the horses, so there is absolutely no excuse for ignorance. Anyone who feeds a horse is doing it knowing they could potentially kill that horse. We’ve also had a lot of issues this summer with overflowing garbage cans. If you are renting a house and the garbage is overflowing, please call your rental company to come pick it up. If there aren’t enough cans, let them know. Tie your bags up and make sure the lids are securely fastened.
Every time something like this happens we get together with other stakeholders (the county, property management companies, law enforcement, etc.) and discuss what we can do to prevent it from happening again. Unfortunately, we are getting to the point where there isn’t much more we can do to micromanage people’s actions. If people do not take some responsibility to learn the rules and follow them, this will keep happening. We have some meetings set up to talk about garbage management, and we are going to ramp up our efforts to get information into every single rental home (this information has been available for several years: https://www.corollawildhorses.com/community-wild-horse…/). But what we really need is for every person who visits the 4×4 to follow the rules. It’s as simple as that.
We are so grateful to the person who first called in about Junior; a couple hours later and he would not have survived. We are also indebted to Dr Sarah, a vet who just happened to be vacationing in a house right next to where Junior was. She kept an eye on him while we were making our way up, provided us with updates, and helped us catch him and get him loaded onto the trailer. And as always, we must thank our Currituck County sheriff’s department for their support and assistance. Junior had a lot of people working very hard to save his life on Wednesday.
We put Junior on the trailer right at the foot of Penny’s Hill, where he’s lived all his life. In fact, one of our favorite pictures of his dad, Amadeo, was taken at the top of Penny’s Hill. His ancestors have called that area home for hundreds of years and Junior’s loss from the wild herd is truly devastating. Of course we are happy to have him on the farm, happy that we saved him, and happy knowing he will be safe and comfortable for the rest of his life. But he should be wild.
Please don’t take the horses’ existence here for granted. Follow the rules so they will continue to thrive on the northern beaches for many more generations. It’s absolutely possible to live in harmony with them; to watch them and love them and appreciate everything about them without getting close, and certainly without feeding. Just like every individual horse is critically important to the genetic health of the herd, every single person who sets foots on the beach is critically important to their survival too. All it takes is one apple from one person. Please do not be that one person who causes a tragedy to happen.

An update from July 10, 2021, from Herd Manager, Meg Puckett

May be an image of horse and outdoors

Junior had a pretty good week! Definitely improved from last week. He got a clean bill of health yesterday at his recheck. Got his teeth done (they look pretty great for an old, wild stallion), got his vaccinations, and also got some friends! He’s learned to lead (with a little positive reinforcement), loves scratches and attention from us, and has figured out all the perks to being domesticated like fresh water, a shelter with a fan, and hay. We are still heartbroken he is no longer on the beach, but at the same time so grateful that he is alive and well. We have no doubt he will continue to thrive on the rescue farm.

Junior In Distress, Removed From the Beach

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Posted July 5, 2021

Report by CWHF

Last week we almost lost another horse to choking. Because of the quick action of the people who witnessed his distress, we were able to save him and he didn’t die like Danny did last year. But it was a very close call, and now he is out of the wild forever.
We got a call Wednesday morning that Amadeo Jr, or Junior as we call him, was running around frantically, rolling, and in a lot of discomfort. We thought that he might be colicking, but upon arrival it was clear he was choking. He was behaving exactly like Danny did last year when he choked. There were several moments during the rescue where we thought he wasn’t going to make it, but we were ultimately able to get him onto the trailer and to the rescue farm, where the vet met us immediately. He confirmed the choke, and was able to get the obstruction passed. It took about 24 hours after rescue for our vet to give him the all-clear, but we are confident now that he is going to make a full recovery. In addition to the choke, he also lacerated his eyes pretty badly when he was rolling in the sand. We are medicating them twice a day and they are starting to look better but without treatment he probably would have had permanent damage to his eyes.
We can’t say for sure if Junior was choking on something he was fed, or on something he got out of the garbage, but either way the message is the same. Please, please, please be responsible and thoughtful if you are staying in the horses’ habitat. There are signs everywhere saying not to feed or approach the horses, so there is absolutely no excuse for ignorance. Anyone who feeds a horse is doing it knowing they could potentially kill that horse. We’ve also had a lot of issues this summer with overflowing garbage cans. If you are renting a house and the garbage is overflowing, please call your rental company to come pick it up. If there aren’t enough cans, let them know. Tie your bags up and make sure the lids are securely fastened.
Every time something like this happens we get together with other stakeholders (the county, property management companies, law enforcement, etc.) and discuss what we can do to prevent it from happening again. Unfortunately, we are getting to the point where there isn’t much more we can do to micromanage people’s actions. If people do not take some responsibility to learn the rules and follow them, this will keep happening. We have some meetings set up to talk about garbage management, and we are going to ramp up our efforts to get information into every single rental home (this information has been available for several years: https://www.corollawildhorses.com/community-wild-horse…/). But what we really need is for every person who visits the 4×4 to follow the rules. It’s as simple as that.
We are so grateful to the person who first called in about Junior; a couple hours later and he would not have survived. We are also indebted to Dr Sarah, a vet who just happened to be vacationing in a house right next to where Junior was. She kept an eye on him while we were making our way up, provided us with updates, and helped us catch him and get him loaded onto the trailer. And as always, we must thank our Currituck County sheriff’s department for their support and assistance. Junior had a lot of people working very hard to save his life on Wednesday.
We put Junior on the trailer right at the foot of Penny’s Hill, where he’s lived all his life. In fact, one of our favorite pictures of his dad, Amadeo, was taken at the top of Penny’s Hill. His ancestors have called that area home for hundreds of years and Junior’s loss from the wild herd is truly devastating. Of course we are happy to have him on the farm, happy that we saved him, and happy knowing he will be safe and comfortable for the rest of his life. But he should be wild.
Please don’t take the horses’ existence here for granted. Follow the rules so they will continue to thrive on the northern beaches for many more generations. It’s absolutely possible to live in harmony with them; to watch them and love them and appreciate everything about them without getting close, and certainly without feeding. Just like every individual horse is critically important to the genetic health of the herd, every single person who sets foots on the beach is critically important to their survival too. All it takes is one apple from one person. Please do not be that one person who causes a tragedy to happen.

Lizzie Update

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Report by Meg Puckett, Herd Manager
Lizzie has been at NC State for a week now, and is doing well, all things considered. She’s comfortable and has adjusted to hospital life just fine. Eating, drinking, not stressed out, and has even gained a bit of weight. So that is good!
Her wound, on the other hand, is not so good. Yesterday she had the first of probably several surgeries to treat the infection. The wound was debrided and a regional limb perfusion was performed (this is when antibiotics are administered directly into the affected leg). This is exactly the same treatment Riptide received last year, but unfortunately, Lizzie’s infection is far worse than his was and has caused some secondary issues to arise, like arthritis in her knee. So she is very much still in the woods, and will be for a long time. But as long as she is comfortable and our vets think she has a chance, we will keep fighting for her.
As you can imagine, Lizzie’s vet bill is adding up daily. Because of your generous support, we are able to focus on making sure she is receiving the best care possible. Please know that we do not take that generosity lightly, and we recognize the trust you place in us to care for these horses. Thank you.
(The plastic part hanging off Lizzie’s halter is called a bib, and it works the same as a cone on a dog – prevents her from chewing at her bandage. She can still eat and drink normally.)
Another Update July 12, 2021
May be an image of 1 person, horse and nature
Lizzie with her filly, Rabbit.
We have some sad news to share this morning. On Friday, at the recommendation of our veterinary team, we made the difficult decision to euthanize Lizzie. Her condition deteriorated quickly at the end of last week, and on Friday it was clear that not only was the infection in her leg getting worse despite aggressive treatment, she was suffering physically and emotionally.
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the team of vets and other staff at NC State for their exceptional care of Lizzie. This was not a normal case and they went above and beyond to work with us and our local vet to make sure we were doing everything we could to save Lizzie, while keeping her comfort and wellbeing in mind every step of the way.
Thank you to everyone who donated towards her care, sent well wishes, and asked about her over the last couple weeks. You helped us make sure Lizzie had the best chance possible, and for that we are extremely grateful.
Lizzie lives on in her two offspring, Rabbit and Alex, and her influence on the herd and our hearts will never be forgotten. Rest free, sweet girl.

Corolla’s wild stallions fight over territory — in full view of summer beach crowds

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By Jeff Hampton

Virginian-Pilot, June 23, 2021

Two stallions fight each other over territory on the Currituck County Outer Banks north of Corolla. Photo courtesy of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. (Corolla Wild Horse Fund)Two stallions fight each other over territory on the Currituck County Outer Banks north of Corolla. Photo courtesy of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

Two stallions fight each other over territory on the Currituck County Outer Banks north of Corolla. Photo courtesy of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. (Corolla Wild Horse Fund)

COROLLA, N.C. — Corolla wild stallions are sparring with each other in front of awed summer beach crowds.

They rear up high on their back legs and strike with front hooves, in some cases just a few feet from beachgoers and their folding chairs, canopies and coolers.

Social media posts in recent weeks show video and photos of stallions fighting next to the surf. Others record them chasing defeated foes down the beach — manes and tails flowing.

The videos attract much attention; typically, a few thousand “like” the posts and several hundred comment. Most say seeing wild stallions battle is one of the most thrilling spectacles they have ever seen.

“Absolutely awesome,” wrote one follower.

But what causes these magnificent creatures to come to blows — and why now?

Stallions fight all year, but more people are on the Currituck County beaches during the summer and watch the drama first hand, said Meg Puckett, manager of the herd for the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

“They will reestablish their boundaries,” she said. “Most of it is for show. It’s very rarely catastrophic.”

No Corolla stallion has died from a fight, she said.

Roughly 100 wild horses live on an 11-mile stretch of the Outer Banks north of Corolla. The horses divide themselves into harems of mares and foals led by a stallion. Each harem roams an area with loosely defined boundaries.

Stallions typically fight over territory and occasionally over a mare, Puckett said. About half the horses are male, so the competition is stiff to lead a group, Puckett said. Fighting can get unpredictable and dangerous for human bystanders. Puckett recommends people keep at least 50 feet away.

Horses fight using different tactics. They typically take on an adversary by striking with their front hoofs, biting their opponent’s neck or kicking with their back legs. Most stallions have marks from the brawls. Some are missing the tips of their ears, Puckett said.

“It’s amazing the scars they have,” she said. “It can get rough.”

At times, a young stallion challenges a veteran without a fight, Puckett said. It’s a form of psychological warfare.

Recently, a young buck followed the harem of an older stallion for months, watching and waiting. The elderly horse tried to keep his mares away from him, but it was no use. The challenger was always close by. The threat of a fight caused the old timer to lose weight and his health declined, Puckett said.

Finally, he gave up his mares to the younger horse. Afterward, he recovered, regained the weight and is doing well, Puckett said.

A stallion named Rambler leads a harem of about 10 mares in an area not far from Corolla. He is often seen by visitors to the beach.

Next to his territory, Acorn leads another large harem. Their clashes are more brotherly quarrels, Puckett said.

“It’s natural behavior that indicates a healthy herd,” she said. “Give them their space.”

Jeff Hampton, 757-446-2090, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com