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Outer Banks wild mustang rescued from beach, hospitalized after leg injury

October 7, 2020/in News /by Kelly Wilkes

Outer Banks wild mustang rescued from beach, hospitalized after leg injury

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3 days ago

It’s #NationalHatDay! Riptide wants to make sure everyone has a CWHF ball cap. Get yours now! We ship world-wide, or you can pick up on our porch in Corolla.

🧢 www.corollawildhorses.com/shop/product-category/adult-apparel/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Aw so sweet

Riptide you are stylin’ and profilin’! Looking good!

And Riptide wears it so well. So fashion forward! :* <3 (y) (y)

you have a beautiful model for your hat 🧡

Looking fabulous Riptide🐎🐎

Stylin'! :-D

Got some sand in my eye.

Great shot!! Stay blessed y’all!

Riptide is so handsome ❤️

I love wearing mine!

Lookin good Riptide.

Looking good Riptide! ❤️

Love this ❤️🐴❤️🐴

I got my calendar and coffee mug!!

I have mine!

I need to get a Ball Cap now. Got 2 T-Shirts for Christmas ❤️❤️. Riptide wears his hat well!!🐴😘

Kat Wagner It’s Riptide! 🐎

Wear mine proudly💙🐎

Ohhhh I need riptides hat

Omg how sweet

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund was live.

5 days ago

Lunch with the horses!

More info: www.corollawildhorses.org ... See MoreSee Less

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Sorry, I was asking to see if this is the harem by my SILs house. I think she is near Rocky and Scars area! :)

Do you know how many different harems are on the beach? Do new harems pop up each year, or does it typically stay the same?

Thank you so much for all you do to keep these horses safe and healthy!

Do we know Vivo’s dad yet? Mimosa was a liner at times. Very independent

As always, thank you for sharing the beauty and knowledge of these unique horses.

Was there last week and saw a couple hanging out around some houses. It was awesome!

Hi Meg! Smiling I am! 😊Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful horses! Wishing you a Wonderful Day!❤️🐴❤️🐴❤️

I love what you do for the horses and those of us loving them ❤️

Thank you for all you do with these horse❤

Thank you for sharing your time to show us the horses and all the information you're giving us. You are absolutely amazing.

What a wonderful and beautiful day to see these beautiful horses 💜 if definitely is a blessing to see them

Thank you for this, it’s been a very hard fee weeks. These horses make me smile

How many foals do you expect every year?

They are just munching away on what looks to be a beautiful day.

Gosh the beauty of just watching them graze freely. Makes me so happy.

Blue skies on the banks! Love that you share the horses..Covid has kept us home to long 😷😢

We’ve been vacationing in the obx for 14 years now, and seeing the horses never gets old. 💗 they are magnificent

They are just so beautiful. How lucky that you get to see them all the time.

So happy to see the horses! Thank you for sharing the video!

You are so lucky to get to see the horses and ocean everyday!

Sadly haven't been to OBX since 1997, someday I will return though! Absolutely, unequivocally, LOVE these horses! Thanks for the updates.

Do they ever get real hay to eat ...like cut out of a pasture hay

Their coats are beautiful - they look like velvet! 🤎

Thanks for all you do for these beautiful animals. Makes my heart happy every time I see them.

Good afternoon! They are so beautiful,thanks so much for sharing.

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

5 days ago

One of the wild mares soaking up the sun after a chilly, rainy morning. ☀️ ... See MoreSee Less

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She’s beautiful❣️🙏🏼

Gorgeous!!❤🐴

Very beautiful

Love that picture❤️❤️❤️

She looks pregnant- so pretty.

She’s beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing! Have a Wonderful Evening! ❤️🐴❤️🐴

🐎🐎💙💙

Thank you for pic I so love those beautiful animals

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Pretty lady.

Beautiful. Hoping for a spring baby??? Perhaps 🙏🏻

Looks like she's eating for two🥰

Kat Wagner Beautiful wild horse of Corolla.

Thanks for sharing your pics..nice looking little soon to be momma ..

Beautiful!

Beautiful horses 🐎 thanks for sharing !

So beautiful❤️

Beautiful 😍😍

Sophia Sanders

❤️ thanks for sharing! Pregnant or winter weight?

Is she pregnant or well fed?

Beautiful picture

Always a bright spot in my day!

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

We thought you might like to see what happened to all the wormer that was on our Amazon wishlist. 🐛 💩 Today the girls got wormed - here’s how it works! We do this several times a year.

Step one is to collect poop from each horse. Horses poop a lot so you’d think this would be the easy part. But you know the saying “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink?” Same goes for pooping. It usually takes us about a week or two to get a sample from each and every horse. They are all bagged and labeled and once we get everyone, they head off to the lab.

Each sample is examined under a microscope and a parasite count is taken. It’s different for every horse, even the ones who live together in the same pasture. Some horses are just naturally high shedders, meaning their numbers are always high. And some, not so much. At the same time, the manure is examined for remnants of hay and grass. Long pieces of hay in manure indicates the horse isn’t chewing properly and probably needs its teeth floated. We have a lot of older horses at the rescue farm and regular dental care is critical to keeping them healthy and happy.

Once we get all the numbers back, we determine what kind and how much wormer each horse needs. It’s based on parasite load and weight, which means this is when the calculators come out! The appropriate wormer is mixed in with a little bit of grain and each feed bag is labeled with the horses name.

Today, all of the mares got their wormer. The ones with high numbers will be restested in a couple weeks and wormed again if needed. In the first photo, the number in parentheses is the length of the grass found in the poop, and the other number is the parasite load. The horses with asterisks by their names need to have their teeth examined and probably floated the next time our vet is out.

All in a days work! Thank you for making sure that we have the supplies and tools we need to care for these special horses. 🐎 ... See MoreSee Less

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Yay team CWHF 💜🐴

Thank you for sharing this information. These horses are getting wonderful care. ❤️

❤️Thank you!

Thank you for sharing, I’ve learned so many interesting things about horses and their care!

That WAS a great lesson! So glad to know the medical science behind the care

thank you for taking great care of the horses... I hope Bonita gets hers soon

You all are awesome!!

That’s good information! Thank you so much for sharing! ❤️🐴❤️🐴

What a great lesson! Thank you! ❤️🐴

😍

Interesting read. Thanks

Kat Wagner Corolla horses getting great care!!! Thank you to Corolla Wild Horse Fund! 🐎

Thanks for all the care given the horses.

Is there still an Amazon wish list?

What does it mean when you say "getting their teeth floated?"

Thanks for sharing and making sure the horses are getting such good care. ❤

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

Tune in today at 12:30 to hear Michaelmiddletonceramics talk about his pottery and the horses. One of his pots made with Currituck clay and hair from Captain is featured in the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park. 🤗 ... See MoreSee Less

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Oh cool! Hope I don’t miss it.

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

Just learned today is #NationalBirdDay, so here’s a shout out to our favorite - the cattle egret! These birds spend the summer on the Outer Banks, hitching rides on the horses to gobble up insects. In addition to flies, cattle egrets will also eat ticks and sometimes even small vertebrates like frogs and lizards. We often get calls in the summer from people who think the horses have terrible scars on their backs, or that someone has painted on them, but it’s just cattle egret poop! A small price to pay for natural insect control. 😉🦟 ... See MoreSee Less

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Birds and beautiful horses...The life

beautiful Nature

Cool birds and beautiful horses !! Thank you for sharing !! Happy New Year 🎉😊

Mother Nature the gift that keeps on giving.❤️

Beautiful 🙂

Love these photos! A perfect example of symbiosis: God’s master plan! ❤️🐎🙏🏼🌻

I Love seeing these Egrets on the horses! It’s pretty amazing! ❤️🐴❤️🐴

Happy National Bird Day

Great story! Happy Bird Day!

"Cow birds"! Love to get pics of them hitching rides on the horses here at the farm. 💕

Thanks for sharing, we saw a bird on one of the horses last summer and did not understand..it makes sense! Cool..

My favorite photo from a horse tour last year.

Those birds are essential for the ponies health!

There so beautiful

Yes for Egrets!

So interesting

I loved seeing them together

Egrets, I had a few... 🎼 :)

Love the birds on their backs! I took this picture.

We have a whole flock of them in our pasture! They are fun to watch- this year we are seeing a lot of darker color ones-assuming they are younger and not turned white yet

We could use some of those out here in Idaho - for actual cattle, horses, and eating ticks off of elk and moose!

Beautiful

Love it!❤

Rob Winger Jr

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

Fashion statement. 💅🐷 ... See MoreSee Less

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What a handsome boy he is for sure!

Love Raymond ❤️

He looks so good and happy ❤️❤️❤️

A muddy horse is a happy horse, or mule! Just being allowed to be who he is, love him! And look at the sheen on that face, a taste of what he will look like when he sheds out in the spring and is clean!

I love his warm coat!

Gorgeous

Raymond, what a cutie. ❤️

I took this picture around 1999/2000. Do you know who this is ? My kids always called him Eyore !

Oh Raymond you’re such a handsome dude!

He is so cute

You go Raymond!❤

Love Raymond.

Raymond, you look ma’velous!

Raymond Rocks!❤

So cute and style, yeah!

I love this handsome guy❤️

Raymond has always been and will always be ADORABLE!!!!! <3

Oh Ray!❤️

true blue mule

Raymond is absolutely gorgeous! Love him! ❤️🐴❤️🐴

Tooooooooooooo cute

Love Raymond!❤️

❤RAYMOND❤

Love that mule!

Love Raymond!🐴❤️

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

Happy New Year! 2020 certainly has been a wild ride. We had some major lows, but also some major highs, and through it all we couldn't have done it without our incredible community of supporters. Our annual appeal letter is posted below, and it's a long one, but so was this year. Our sincerest and most heartfelt thank you goes out to all of you. Wishing you all the best in 2021!

www.corollawildhorses.com/support-corolla-wild-horse-fund/

⭐️

Dear Friends of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund,

The word challenging has many meanings -- difficult and demanding, daring and defying, opposing and disputing, and even stimulating and inspiring. All of them seem to apply to the year 2020 – a year unlike any other. As we come to the close of this momentous year, I wish to express my gratitude to each of you -- our members, donors, and supporters -- who continue to do all you can so that we may continue to fulfill our mission to protect, conserve and responsibly manage the wild horses of Corolla. Yes, the year has been challenging but my hope is that although the new year may not look very different as it begins, it brings with it a renewed hope for the future – one that is filled with promise and well-being for all of us and for the horses.

The highs and lows of the year were immense for the world and for the Fund. Our small staff has accomplished remarkable things even under the strain of working responsibly and cautiously while the pandemic continues. Our now seasoned team of Sanctuary Observers continue to spend their days monitoring and recording their sightings of the horses. Trained to report on their sightings with details, we benefit from these recordings to better understand the interactions of the horses, their trends in movements, and their habitat relations. This information is also gathered to note any behavior that is out of the ordinary and/or medical conditions to keep watch on.

Although helicopter surveys were suspended this year and will continue to be for the foreseeable future due to COVID, we were able to do a herd count from the ground this summer that accounted for what we believe is every horse in the herd (101 horses were observed and every horse that we have records on was seen).

A significant step taken as part of our long-term strategic planning has been the start of our DNA project earlier this year. We recognize that charting all the relationships among the wild horses and those directly under our care at the rehabilitation farm is fundamental in order to create a family tree that can be used to help us responsibly manage breeding and track family lines through many generations. The first step was to submit DNA samples (via hair follicles) from the previously wild mustangs at the farm. After studying those results, we were able to determine which wild horses to collect tissue samples from first. Thus far, we have been able to secure thirteen samples in the wild. We are working with geneticists from Texas A & M and UC Davis to analyze these samples for genetic health issues, degrees of inbreeding, color, family associations, and more. The percentage of Spanish breeds represented in the horses already tested is more than 80% and we have not encountered dangerously high instances of inbreeding. Our end goal for this long-term project will be to collect tissue samples from every wild horse in the herd and analyze the findings for each of them. We feel strongly that this project is essential in helping us save these historic bloodlines for generations to come.

Historical records (including oral histories) are also being gathered and interpreted to help establish lineage of modern horses (from the 1990s to present). Historical records from herd observations in the 1990s have been incorporated into our ongoing DNA/family history project. We are also looking to integrate the results of the genetic study conducted in the 1990s into our current study.

More good news is that the wild herd saw the arrival of six foals in 2020: 3 fillies and 3 colts, all healthy and thriving. Unfortunately, we did have some tragedies due to injury and illness this year. There was Valor, a beautiful, two- year-old mare, removed from the wild in May and treated for an infected wound to her lower leg. She was subsequently transferred to NCSU for more intensive treatment and was ultimately euthanized due to an infected tendon sheath. And there was Danny, a yearling colt, who was removed from the wild after choking (whole apples were scattered around the site where he was found) and died the same day despite rigorous veterinary care.

But then there was the wonderful story of Riptide and his rescue in August due to a very grave wound that caused a fungal infection that he would not have survived if left without emergency veterinary care. Riptide spent nearly six weeks at NCSU and even when he was able to return to us, he still required intensive care for several weeks. We are grateful for all who were able to turn Riptide’s injury and near loss of life into a success story. From the person who first reported the injury, our staff who monitored him and then got him off the beach, our local vets who so fully embrace and respect our mission and the significance of these horses, the entire team at NCSU who not only treated Riptide’s physical issues but also took care of his emotional needs and showed him so much love and compassion while he was at the hospital, to all of YOU who support our organization and make it possible for us to seek out this level of care and put so many resources into saving their lives when they need our help - that is why Riptide is alive today.

And, so, now Riptide lives at our rehabilitation farm along with the 17 other Corollas including Raymond the mule.

The unpredictable nature of what we do – the decision to remove a wild horse from the wild and be ready to financially take on whatever care is required and appropriate for not only the survival of that horse but, hopefully, the continued guardianship of it so that he/she will thrive for many years to come is crucial. These cases can take substantial funds but will always provide more knowledge to our team about these unique horses.

Each horse that is removed from the wild is still important to the breed in general. When a herd numbers only about 100 horses, if one should require removal, he or she may still be able to contribute to the genetics of the breed through our conservation program.

Through these times of uncertainty, our museum and gift shop have been closed since mid-March. Our rehabilitation farm continues to be closed to the public. We have determined that the best way to protect our organization, its continuing work to fulfill its mission, the animals that we manage in the wild and those that we care for directly, and, finally, our employees who are needed to do this work, is to err on the side of caution and limit our exposure as much as is possible.

Our plan has been to continue “business as usual” but without events and being able to welcome visitors. As a small staff with a unique mission and highly specialized functions, each of us plays a vital role in the management and care of the horses. There is no backup staff.

Without being able to be open or hold any of our scheduled events, it is an understatement to say that this year has not been difficult to meet our financial goals. Yet, the challenges to the horses’ life in the wild continue to persist. Loss of habitat due to development, increased vehicular traffic, fencing breaches, and emboldened human interactions remain immediate threats to the wild herd.

To confront these threats, we need your continued support. Just as we needed your support in this last year to accomplish so much, we continue to need your support to carry on our work to manage and protect the wild horses and look after those under our care at the rehab facility.

You still have time to make your tax-deductible contribution for 2020 and help us attain an effective start for the New Year. We hope to accomplish even more in this next year and we will need your help to do so. Your support is vital to our existence. Your contribution supports our daily operations, our plans to continue to safeguard the horses, and our efforts to educate the public. You can make your secure online contribution by clicking on the links below or by mail to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, PO Box 361, Corolla, NC 27927.

We sincerely appreciate your support and realize that we are all facing unprecedented and unchartered times right now. We are looking forward to the day that we will be able to welcome you to our “new” home in the Old Village in Corolla and to see our new exhibit on the wild horses as well as to our rehab farm where you will be able to see our work with the rescues.

If you have any questions about how your gift will improve the lives of the Corolla wild horses, please feel free to contact us at info@corollawildhorses.com. We are thankful for your help. Any level of support is appreciated and will make a difference.

We wish you and yours a safe, healthy and Happy New Year. ... See MoreSee Less

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Happy 2021

I’ll donate again. Thank you for all that you do for the wild horses at Corolla & the rehabilitated horses. Your posts are educational & interesting! The calendar is a nice reminder of those beautiful horses and my granddaughter & I enjoyed reading the books. Wishing you & all of the horses a Happy/ Healthy New Year! ❤️🐎🙏🏼🌻

Blessings!

Donation made. Following your efforts for these wonderful horses brings me joy. Your photos and videos polished the dullness out of an otherwise unremarkable day SO MANY times during quarantine ‼️ My prayer for you is that God’s blessings continue for you and yours in the New year. Thank you. Diann Turner Simpson Marietta, Georgia

Thanks always for love and care of these wonderful horses. I enjoy donating at Christmas time. 💕🐴💕

We absolutely love the work you do & the videos you posted over the past year..it has really helped us through quarantine and was the main reason for coming down to visit the OBX & the beautiful horses. We're sad we couldn't visit the recuse farm, but understood why...We're hoping to do so in 2021 when we come back we loved loved it so much! Thank you for all you do, not just for caring for the heards, but the educational information that myself & children have learned about the horses, county, &people...the history behind it all & what you're working to preserve for the future...THANK YOU & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year

Thanks for sharing all the great pics..beautiful animals.

Happy New Year🎉!

I personally want to Thank all of the people that help these Beautiful Wild Horses. So many people behind the scenes that we don’t know! I Thank Meg for the live videos she does and helping us to learn & updating us. I Look Forward to returning to the Wild Horse Beach in 2021. Praying that it’s a better year then 2020. Thank you so much again for all that you do. Wishing all of you a Safe and Happy New Year! Here’s to 2021! 🐴❤️🐴❤️🐴❤️ Picture from 2018

God BLESS

Happy New Year, here is to a happier and healthier 2021! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Awesome pics💖

I always make sure I shop Amazon Smile, and my selected charity is Carolla Wild Horse Fund. Keep up the great work you do!

Love what you do! Donation done! Happy 2021!🎉

Done and happy New Year!

Thanks for all you do.

love this

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

What a wonderful, informational letter. Keep up the good work. The horses are beautiful.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for all you do! Best wishes for a peaceful 2021

I've got a birthday fundraiser going on rite now!! #HappyNewYear2021

Thanks for all the hard work you do for theses awesome horses

I think they are so beautiful on the beach, wish people would understand the rules and don’t crowd their space

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

To survive on their own, Corolla wild horses adapt ... See MoreSee Less

To survive on their own, Corolla wild horses adapt

www.pilotonline.com

The horses know how to protect themselves from the cold. They have to because they’ve lived for centuries on their own, without man-made barns or bales of hay.

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So cool & interesting! Are there any photos of Little Red Man? I wish I could go there now and see these beautiful wild horses with winter coats! That’s so cool how the snow stays on them and they are warm. I Love how Acorn received his name too! Who would of thought Acorn has Raymond’s mares now! So cool to me! Thank you so much for sharing these! Have a Wonderful Evening! ❤️🐴❤️🐴❤️

Much love & prayers for the safety of all wild horses❣️🐎🙏🏼

Love these horses

All magnificent animals .. loved seeing them

They are so beautiful and at peace love to be there with them

God bless them.

Amazing!!

Beautiful picture

So fascinating and beautiful.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Very similar to the wild ponies on Assateague, although they are much smaller.

I visited Corolla several years ago and I loved seeing the horses just wondering on the beaches, minding their own business, being wild and magnificent ❤

Isn't Little Red Man the one that walked into Food Lion?

I had a Spanish Barb for many years that I absolutely loved but had to rehome due to my health issues. She went to a young family with several horses and is now spoiled rotten with the attention I could no longer give her. Our winter pasture was small and our horses had ample shelter to come in and out of the weather as they pleased. Over the years we captured pictures of her with icicles hanging from her coat because she would rather stay outside in the storms. Her winter coat was just amazingly thick.

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund is feeling grateful.

3 weeks ago

It’s a blustery day but the sun is warm. All the horses at the rescue farm have been alternating between sun bathing and eating. Not a bad way to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s, huh? 🤗 We’d like to thank everyone who sent something from our Amazon wishlist earlier this month - the horses (and Raymond, of course) had a wonderful holiday thanks to your generosity! ... See MoreSee Less

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They all look so happy and loved! What a blessing you guys are to these precious beauties! I you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Love to see their pictures

Thank u for sharing...The horses are so beautiful....Love that place...Love to be there

Bless you all

They are so beautiful!! Thank you for taking such good care of the herd💕

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is the charity I donate to through Amazon Smile. 😍

Awww. Didn’t know about the wish list. Glad it was successful. Raymond looks so good.

Thanks for sharing the pics..❤️❤️

❤️

Thank you so much for sharing. Smiling I am! Have a Wonderful Day ❤️🐴❤️🐴❤️

🐴❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Just wonderful

Beautiful pictures thanks for sharing

Raymond stole my heart awhile back but love them all . Praying to make it there this coming year

Love these guys

♥️

❤️

Beautiful

Where can I find your wishlist?

How is Raymond's friend Scotty doing?

Phoenix Corolla & Dunie, my Corolla Bankers, wish everyone a #HappyNewYear2021. 😍

Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos; I sure hope no one ie hanging out on the dunes harassing the wild horses today.

Love all you guys!!!! Raymond is my heart! Praying to see you all in person in 2021!

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

Folks, this is not ok. These people are too close to the horses and they’re damaging our dunes. Both are illegal. If you are here for the week or visiting for the day, please be respectful and follow the rules. The horse in this picture is young, and easily habituated. We lost a yearling colt this summer because of behavior like this. Please don’t let it happen again.

Here’s the Wild Horse Ordinance: www.corollawildhorses.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/wild-horse-ordinance.pdf

Please, please educate yourselves before you visit. We don’t often have to post reminders like this over the winter, but 2020 continues to throw us all curve balls.

(Yes we responded but by the time we got there the people had moved on. If you witness this kind of thing you can let us know and also call Currituck County non-emergency dispatch at 252-232-2216)

Photo: @GeminiLove ... See MoreSee Less

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I was going to say stupid people, but we are reproducing people now that don’t give a rats a_ _! That’s why this country is in such the shape it is in! 😡

I love the OBX and want to see the horses one day .it makes me so mad to see pictures like this ,no respect for the land or the horses ,people like this will be the cause of others that do love and respect OBX 's laws to maybe not get to see the horses .People please show respect for these wild horses and beautiful land

OUTRAGEOUS AND UNACCEPTABLE! Leave the horses alone & stay off the dunes!

Don't ruin the horse's freedom for the rest of us. Leave the horses alone and KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!!!

We saw a child running towards a couple of the horses yesterday and I cringed. I was ready to say something then I guess the tour director spoke up.

Please FINE them with substantial fines. People who love horses will still come. People who love the beach will still come. People who love Corolla will still come. FINE the ones who don't love.

I think not letting people drive on the beach would help.

Dang 😡come on people stop being selfish and inconsiderate. These magnificent Horses are not about you. So sad to see humans acting this way

This is so infuriating - you are vacationing in this beautiful place - have some damn respect!

I sure wish a fund could be set up to have full time patrolling on their beach.

I say close it and let the horses live in safe peace !!

It drives me absolutely nuts that people can be so ignorant and self centered. Thinking about themselves and not the horses or what they are doing to the dunes.

This always irritates me beyond words. As a visitor, we always respect the beauty and rules. Then some ass has to ruin it and give other visitors a bad name. It's a shame. Any of the homes we've stayed in have had rules about dunes, horses, rip tides, outside lights during turtle nesting/hatching season. So we are made aware. Some are just rude, ignorant or both and more.

Fine them big use money to support the horses

Saw a lady yesterday with 2 dogs walking on the dunes about 30 feet from 2 horses and dogs going crazy. All she was doing was taking a picture didn't realize horse was stomping and staring

Well we have our second there and now have a megaphone. Lol we yell step away from the horses or keep moving

Citizens should be able to give tickets and fine people. See something, say something!

Why is it the very things that make OBX special and the reason why so many people come to the area doesn't get the respect that it deserves.

i hope someone went immediately and fined these people!

Arrest them, fine them ... hit them where it hurts. There is No excuse for this behavior!

I wish you had wild horse police units that would fine ppl For being too close or not following the rules

The law and order crowd that think the laws don't apply to them. The roads are full of them these days. :(

They can’t read the signs that say “4x4” either, so there really is no hope! 🤦🏼‍♂️

It only takes a couple seconds to get out of your vehicle, be a nice polite person and explain to these people what they're doing is Wrong.,who the heck cares if you hurt their feelings or stepped on toes.,it would only take me a min.

People become morons at the beach. Destroy dunes, harass wildlife, collect living ocean creatures. 😢

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

4 weeks ago

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the dunes not a creature was stirring because Santa would be there soon!

Merry Christmas Eve to all! ❤️🎄✨ ... See MoreSee Less

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Love it -TU Martha!

Love the picture thanks for sharing.

Aweee...so so beautiful ❤️

Merry Christmas to you all. What you do touches many of our hearts ♥️ those horses (and Raymond 😁) have found a special place in my heart since my first visit. The videos you do always brighten my day. You have brought much joy to a not so great year. From my heart to yours have a blessed day and may Santa be extra nice this year.

Merry Christmas to all there too! 🎄🎁❤️

Merry Christmas and bless the horse keepers!

Wishing you a warm Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all of you and all the beautiful horses. Thank you for all the hard work you do taking care of the beautiful horses.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!🎄

Merry Christmas! Love your pictures.

Merry Christmas! Extra hay and grain for the horses at the farm! 🎁🌲

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and the beautiful Corolla horses. Stay safe!🎄🐎🎅🐎❤

Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 ❤

Merry Christmas to all the Wild Horses ❤️All of the horses are beautiful!!

Merry Christmas 🎄

So peaceful, Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you and all the horses! ❤🎄🎅🐎

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you ❤

Merry Christmas to you and all your families. Thank you for everything you do for the beautiful horses. I truly enjoy seeing and reading about these magnificent creatures. Stay safe and God bless you all.

Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 ❤

Merry Christmas to all you angels 😇and the ponies❤️🎅🏻🎄🎁⛄️🐎

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

4 weeks ago

What a lovely bit of local history. 🎄Mary Yeula Wescott was born December 27, 1889 at Poyner’s Hill on the Currituck Outer Banks, where her father, John Thomas Wescott, was the keeper of the Poyner’s Hill Life-Saving station. She was the third of six children born to John and Martha Ann Chadwick Wescott.

At a very young age, Mary loved to read and write. She was first published at the age of 12 when she decided to enter a writing contest for the St. Nicholas Magazine: An Illustrated Book For Young Folks by Mary Mapes Dodge. The following was published in January of 1903:

Poplar Branch, N.C.

Dear St. Nicholas: I am a little girl twelve years old, and I live on one of the sand-bars of North Carolina, five miles from the mainland. The nearest store and post-office is five miles away. My papa is the captain of the Poyners Hill Life-saving Station. We are bounded on the north and south by sand-hills, on the east by the ocean, and on the west by the Currituck Sound. The land near and on which the station is situated belongs to the Currituck Shooting Club, the club-house is the nearest one to us except the station. The club does not allow any of the station men except papa to build on the beach. We live only a few steps from the station and a little further from the sea, while the club-house is on the other side of the beach. So you see, we have it lonely here sometimes. Inclosed [sic] find my contribution which I hope is worthy of a prize.

Yours truly,

Mary Yeula Wescott

(age 12)

🎄🎄🎄
Mary continued to send in poems and articles as did her brother, Albert, and her sister, Laura. However, it was Mary who continued to write to them until at least the age of 17...

My Dear St. Nicholas League: I am sending to you today my verses for the September competition and I am so sorry to remember that I have but three more. Does everyone get old so dreadfully fast?

Your subject appealed to me this month, for I have several relatives including my father, who are members of the Life Saving Service to which I have a reference in the poem. This small band extends along the coast of the United States and guards its coast from the ravages of the storm. They maintain a constant watch along the shore and at the appearance of a distressed vessel launch their frail boats and, pitting their strength against the force of the waves, give aid to the distressed seamen. When the sea is so high that launching a boat from the shore is impossible, the beach apparatus is used and the sailors are brought from the vessel by means of a "breeches-buoy,” which is drawn shoreward over a cable that has been shot across the vessel from the shore and fastened to the mast of the distressed vessel.

On our part of the coast, storms are numerous, and a rescue of this kind is a frequent occurrence.

I thank you so much for the encouragement you have given me in my endeavors to win that coveted cash prize.

But whether I succeed or not, I shall ever remember with gratitude the pleasure and benefit I have derived from your interesting work. Long life to you, my dear St. Nicholas League, and best wishes from your devoted League member, Mary Yeula Wescott (age 17).

🎄 loganalogy.com/2020/01/25/mary-yeula-wescott/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Wonderful story and history! Hope some of her family who are alive today will see this posting. Happy Christmas

Beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing! Merry Christmas 🎄 😊🎄

Wow so interesting

Very interesting story...enjoyed the history!!

Awesome history lesson!! Thanks for sharing.

I love this story!

Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing!

Precious child. 💗

Thank you for sharing that beautiful story. I love reading about the history of the Outer Banks.

Thanks for sharing this story ❤️❗️

Becky Fredericks

Love this post!

Deborah Dunn a girl after your own heart ♥️

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

Brrrrrrrrrr it’s cold and blustery today! The horses were feeling frisky. Did you know that the individual hairs in a horse’s winter coat stand up when it’s cold outside, trapping warmth in air pockets between the hair and the horse’s skin? It’s also why they look extra fluffy on days like today.

🐎 Learn more about the horses and CWHF: www.corollawildhorses.com/learn/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Beautiful fuzzy winter coats!! ❤️

Love the pictures thanks for sharing..horse’s look great.

How beautiful they are and hope they stay warm the beauties

Love this! So cool! Thank you so much for sharing! Love them ❤️🐴❤️🐴❤️

I too look extra fluffy on days like this. Brrr!

Thanks fir the info. The pictures are great!

They do look fluffy!

💖💖💖💖💖💖 Amazing!!!!

Awww such beautiful fuzzbutts ❤

Gorgeous!!

They’re so fluffy right now 😍

So happy to learn a new fact about these amazing horses!❤️

There's my "learn something new" today. Thanks! 😀🥰

Pretty!

They are so gorgeous!! My guys here on the Southern coast of NC look like fluffy teddy bears!! Stay warm and healthy!! Hope to see you soon!! ❤️

Sounds good to me Amy

Beautiful pictures

They are so beautiful. That’s for photos and hair info.

I didn’t know that!

Very interesting. Thanks

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Would love to see them like this. Just beautiful!

They are gorgeous!

Look at bit frisky in this cold weather!

Beautiful ❤ I love them so much.

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

Eugenio must have seen yesterday’s post and said “I’ll show ‘em how it’s done!” Got up to Carova this morning and he was the first horse I saw, with his head in a greenbrier thicket, munching away. 😋 ... See MoreSee Less

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Thanks for the perfect example Eugenio! You are certainly looking nice these days!

Beautiful

Beautiful!❤

He is awesome.

So beautiful!!

So Majestic love horses 🐴

beautiful

Planning to come out this Spring to finally see these beautiful horses

He is so handsome

Stunning horse

Ouch! Looks like that would hurt their gums. He is so beautiful.

Long Live Prince Eugenio!!! 😊🙏😊😊

He is so beautiful!

He's beautiful!! Miss not being able to see them this past summer. Planning on coming back this spring provided everything's safe.

Hi Joyce hope all is well

Beautiful

Healthy as all get out!

thanks for sharing.

Oh how awesome this is to see! Do you know how old Eugenio is? He’s absolutely gorgeous. Would he be Amelia’s dad? Thank you so much for sharing ❤️🐴❤️🐴

Beautiful

Look at that glossy coat and peachy bottom... he’s ready for winter!!!💪💪❤️❤️💪💪

What a beautiful horse!!!

Pachewy chewy chomp

Beautiful ❤️❤️

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

Our staff monitors the horses every day, collecting information that guides us as we manage the herd. We track movement and behavior, and also grazing patterns. Knowing what the horses eat at various times of the year is helpful for many reasons, both in regards to the health of the horses and the health of the environment.

Yesterday, Martha observed some horses munching on greenbrier, also called horsebrier. This is a native plant with semi-evergreen leaves, which is why we see horses eating it this time of year. Greenbrier isn’t toxic, and provides food and shelter for other wildlife too. It’s often considered a pest on maintained landscapes but that doesn’t mean it’s not an important part of our fragile ecology!

Help us continue this important work by becoming a member, or getting involved in other ways you can learn more about on our website: www.corollawildhorses.com/support-corolla-wild-horse-fund/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Great Horse keepers thanks.

Thanks for all you do to help Martha!

Bless you all

Beautiful animals 🐎🐎💙💙

Greenbrier, how polite, we call it choky weed! Cheers to one n all for a merry n bright fa la la la la! 🐎

Thank you for all you do ❤

I will be out there this Spring -it’s been on my bucket list. 💕

Thank you

So beautiful!

Thank you so much for sharing! Very interesting ❤️🐴❤️

❤️Thank you for caring for these beautiful horses! peace & Love...

Beautiful

Awesome

Thank you for all the information you shared and all the beautiful pictures.

Very interesting thanks for sharing

Very cool info. Thanks for posting

Thanks for all your work!!

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

Ducky Claus would like to remind everyone that our store is fully stocked with new jewelry, housewares, toys and books, and CWHF merch.

We also have new Michaelmiddletonceramics horse hair pots in stock. These are only available for local pickup, but everything else can be shipped.

We’ll do our best to get your order to you before Christmas!

Shop now: www.corollawildhorses.com/cwhf-gift-shop/ ... See MoreSee Less

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My 3 favorite Christmas gifts: a 2021 calendar, a CWHF magnet and ornament!

Oh what a precious photo! I’m torn! I’ve been wanting a horse hair pot! Bummers it can’t be shipped! Thank you so much for sharing! ❤️🐴❤️🐴

Is the shop open or are you only doing online orders. I'm in Carova now

I’m 450 miles away and can’t come back until spring but I sure would like to purchase a horsehair pot

how did the horse get that name?

Ducky's so handsome, I might faint!

Beautiful

Adorable

He is so cute 🥰

Just ordered a calendar..can’t wait to circle my OBX vacation dates! 😊

I love my calendar too.

I just received my pottery stein that I will use for iced tea, hot tea and hot chocolate - it's gorgeous. Sits on my desk next to my CWH pottery pencil holder!

So so handsome!!!!!

Beautiful horse ❤️

Adorable

I love this so much❤️

❤️so handsome! Thank you for putting my picture in the 2021 Calendar for Dec. ❤️

So handsome 😊💕

He’s so beautiful 💜🥰

I love my calendar!

Handsome Boy

My Raven, his daddy came from down there, his mommy is a paso fino!

Karen Ferguson so pretty!

Where is the gift shop at just in line

Ducky!!! 🥰🥰🥰

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

What do they eat?? 🍴🌾

We do not provide any supplemental feeding, even in the winter. The wild horses are experts at foraging and can easily keep themselves fed all year round. A skinny horse is not skinny from lack of food. Poor body condition is indicative of a health issue and/or age and may require monitoring and intervention on our part.

This time of year, the horses eat just about anything they can find! There is still grass, and even though it’s brown it still provides important calories and nutrients. They can also be found nibbling on brush like wax myrtles, scrub oaks, and aquatic grass like milfoil. The winter rye grass that you see growing on maintained lawns this time of year is actually not healthy for the horses (it’s got a lot of sugar in it) so green is not always good! They are quite adept at finding natural sources of food...even if it doesn’t seem very appetizing to us!

Extra calories are what keep horses warm in the winter, which is why just about all of the mustangs are nice and plump right now! ... See MoreSee Less

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Love the pictures thanks for sharing..nice looking band you have there.

I so admire these animals.

Plump and hairy 😁

Lovely photos of the herd.

Driving through Carson City last year a bunch of wild horses were by the road at first I thought someone’s horse got out. I think they are amazing.

The herd looks great going into winter!

Such beautiful animals.🐎🥰🙏

I have a friend that was losing lambs one spring. The symptoms suggest parasites. What they found out later, nitrogen poisoning. Was a wet warm spring, lots of green grass. Wasn't killing the ewes, was killing the new lambs. Green isn't aways good.

They look great! Chubby and fluffy!

They all seem nicely chunky! Do they ever eat ocean plants/seaweed that washes up?

Is sand colic much of a concern for the obx herds?

Ruth Wallace and Rose Payne look at this.

Thank you for sharing. They’re beautiful❣️🙏🏼

Great pics

They look nice and healthy ! They know what they are doing right !

Can't wait to come visit. I talked my Mom into it too!

Thank you so much for sharing the history and beautiful photos with us. It’s good to know! 🐴❤️🐴❤️🐴

Love it so beautiful

Folks, don't forget you can easily help support the Corolla Wild Horse fund by choosing to support this charity on AmazonSmile. Amazon will make a small contribution for each of your purchases! They add up 🤗🐎♥️

Thanks for sharing the pictures. They are looking healthy❤️

They’re looking real healthy!

Thanks for continuing to keep us updated. We are interested in the precious horses.

Our Corolla wild horses look great! Can’t wait to see them again! So happy that they are being so well looked after and cared for! ❤️

They are amazing.

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

Do you know the story of Betsy Dowdy?

In the winter of 1775, the British troops stationed at Great Bridge in Virginia had effectively cut off all supply and postal routes into northeastern North Carolina. News about this reached the Dowdy family on the Currituck banks, and 16 year old Betsy overheard her parents and neighbors talking about how if they British advanced any further, they would leave torched farms and slaughtered livestock - including Banker ponies - in their wake.

That night, Betsy tossed and turned in her bed, worried and scared that her family’s way of life and her beloved ponies were in grave danger. So in the middle of the night, Betsy snuck out and climbed aboard her black mare Bess and took off to warn the American troops in Perquimans County. She and Bess swam across the Currituck Sound and then traveled 50 miles in the cold dead of night through the Dismal Swamp to bring word of the advancing British. In contrast, Paul Revere’s ride was only 16 miles long.

Because of Betsy’s warning, the American troops were able to advance north towards Great Bridge in time to stop the British before they could get any further into North Carolina. Betsy and her little Banker mare Bess are true American heroes.

It’s a cold, rainy day 245 years after Betsy’s ride, and as we look out across the gray landscape it’s not hard at all to imagine Bess’s modern-day relatives making that journey. The Banker horses of Corolla have survived here because of their intelligence, strength, hardiness, and their special relationship with the human Bankers who have called this place home for almost as long as they have. Their history is the history of this nation; they are a cultural icon that deserve responsible management, fierce protection, and for their story to be told. We are dedicated to doing that for them.

‼️Update: We sold out of the book! Thanks everyone! We are reordering and will have more in stock soon, and will post when they are available.‼️

If you’d like to learn more, we have a book for sale about Betsy Dowdy’s ride, written by Donna Campbell Smith, available through our web store: www.corollawildhorses.com/shop/book-an-independent-spirit/ ... See MoreSee Less

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I have read this. It is such an honor to have these horses keeping our history alive!

Thank you Betsy and Bess!

I’ve never heard this story! Awesome! I need one of those books!

Awesome! I teach Revolutionary War ti my fourth graders every year-- I will definitely be looking for the book.

Awesome story! My 16 year old can’t even find the hamper. What an amazing young girl.

Amazing! I just shared this story with my 9 year old horse riding & loving girl! You’ve inspired me to do a unit study about this topic with my kids in our homeschool!

Bummer!! The book is out of stock!!

What an amazing story! How is that not common knowledge? This should be a movie! Can't wait for you guys to get more books in.

Is this different from the one written by Nell Wise Wetcher? She was at East Carolina when my mom was in school and I read all her books in the 60s.

I have never heard this story. What a brave young lady. And I understand her love for and wanting to protect these magnificent creatures. Well done Betsy!

Never heard rhis Wow what a brave young gal and courageous horse that carried her

Best post I've read in a LONG time. Thank you Cousin Christa! I'd like to share this!

Why isn’t this in history books? I’m so tired of all the brave young women over looked for all they did.

Never get between a girl and her horses. You will lose. ❤️🐴

History that I never knew! Should be included in schools. She's a hero.

What an amazing piece of history. Thanks for sharing Crystal Cove.

I also want a book when it comes back in but is there any word about the calendars?

In 2010, the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) had a program at the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City and invited Kitty Griffin to talk about her book.

Are these Dowdy any relation to ECU Dowdy-Ficklin Stadium?

I immediately recognized the name. We read a book by Nell Wise Wechter about that in the olden days, and I still remember it.https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51N6Mvwt5pL._SX349_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Amazing history and well stated. Sharing!

Never heard this bit of history. Thank you!

Wow, what a story! I just ordered a copy of the book for my daughter.

What an amazing story!!

Love this! Can’t wait to get the book!

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

Horse sponsorships make great holiday gifts, and they help support our work too! You can choose from several of the horses at the rescue farm (including Raymond!) and we've also added Junior, a wild stallion and son of the late Amadeo, to the roster.

Order yours before December 9 to receive it in time for Christmas! If you've already purchased a sponsorship, don't worry - orders are being processed and will arrive in time for the holiday.

Horse sponsorships are a form of membership, and are renewable annually. Included in your sponsorship is a color photo of your chosen horse, a certificate, and information about the horse's life.

www.corollawildhorses.com/horse-sponsorships/ ... See MoreSee Less

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