DISCOVER NORTH CAROLINA’S WILD HORSES
June 14, 2015Brunswick Forest
North Carolina’s coastline is home to a number of beautiful natural features like the majestic live oak maritime forests, miles of sandy beaches and picturesque waterways and estuaries. Perhaps most unique among all of the coast’s many attractions, however, are the wild ponies of Corolla, North Carolina.
HISTORY OF THE COROLLA WILD HORSES
The Corolla wild horses have been genetically tested to reveal that they are descendants of Spanish mustangs that were left behind by settlers and explorers in the early 1500’s. The herd of about 100 horses is one of the country’s last wild herds, and one of the only wild equine herds on the east coast. Commonly referred to as the “Corolla wild horses,” the animals do not actually still reiside in the small village of Corolla. In 1997, they were relocated to the northern beaches of Currituck in order to protect them from the increased development in the small Outer Banks village, and from the traffic on Highway 12. The horses now roam a 7,500 acre parcel of land that is protected by fencing to keep the horses from wandering out of their safe habitat.
COROLLA WILD HORSE MUSEUM
The Corolla Wild Horse Fund operates the Corolla Wild Horse Museum which educates the public about the beautiful horses. The staff helps to protect the herd, responds to horse emergencies, conducts DNA testing and also offers tours of the horse’s sanctuary to provide the public with glimpses of these beautiful wild animals. The public is welcome to tour the sanctuary on their own, but visitors must remember that these animals are protected, and it is illegal to feed the horses or approach them within 50 feet.