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A Trip on The Wild Side - Horses, That Is
We took a road trip to Corolla, North Carolina. Corolla is located on the northernmost reaches of North Carolina's Outer Banks: a strip of land situated between the Atlantic Ocean on the east and Currituck Sound on the west. We traveled down U.S. Highway 64 then U.S. Highway 158 from Virginia; this route takes you directly to Corolla.
Our mission was to become more informed about the Wild Horse of Corolla. As we entered the small house which is the office building of the Wild Horse Museum, we were greeted by Susan Mathews, Director of Operations. She was extremely helpful in sharing so much information about the history of Corolla, the grave yard of the Atlantic, how the horses became part of the beaches of Corolla, and how the horses are taken care of at the present time.
There are three theories as to how the ponies referred to as the "Banker Ponies" became part of the Currituck Outer Banks. Spanish ships would shipwreck or become grounded on the ever-changing shoals of the North Carolina waters and the horses would be thrust into the Atlantic Ocean. This area is also known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic because of so many ship wrecks.
Another way the horses would make their way to shore in the 15th through 18th centuries was because of big storms near the coast. When trying to save the vessel, the sailors were told to lighten the weight of the ship and the horses were one of the first things to go overboard.
Some historians believe the Spaniards actually landed and settled in Corolla and were threatened by the Indians. The Spaniards fled and took only what was needed leaving the horses behind.
This hardy breed had to quickly adapt to a very specialized diet of coarse salt grass, sea oats, panic grass, acorns and persimmons found in five main habitat areas. For nearly 500 years, areas of dune grass, dry grassland, wet grassland, tidal fresh water marsh, and maritime forest have provided food and shelter. The horses have learned to “graze high” in order to help limit their intake of sand and as time went on, continue to adapt to new plants introduced by the actions of a growing number of humans. The Currituck Sound (a fresh water estuarine system) has provided a constant source of water, as does numerous ponds, puddles, and manmade canals. The horses are NOT given any other food, even in the winter months.
When the area around Nags Head was discovered as a vacation destination in the 1800’s and development began in earnest, the horses’ lives were changed forever. Wild horses were pushed further and further to the north and south of Nags Head. In 1926, there were 5,000 wild horses all up and down the Outer Banks. Today, there are less than 130 North of Corolla.
The total area accessible to the wild horses is 7,544 acres. It is NOT a dedicated horse sanctuary. Nearly 70% of the land is privately owned, 20.9% is built out, and there are 3,150 platted lots.
Copyright © 2008-2015 DeeDee MacDonald
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