Visitors can learn more about the Corolla Wild Horses via the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. The Wild Shackleford Ponies - One group of these wild horses roams freely on Shackleford Banks, near Cape Lookout (see Coastal Guide Map). These horses look completely docile, and in most cases they are, but in actuality they have been feral for hundreds of years and do not interact with the local human population. Horse fans can help support the Corolla Wild Horses via the Corolla Wild Horse Fund and Museum, which is a local organization that helps support and tend to the local herd. This count is determined every fall by helicopter surveillance in the northern Corolla and Carova areas. Though they look docile, these horses are inherently feral, and should not interact with humans. A visit to the Pony Pen is a must for any traveler to Ocracoke. Send Message. Historical records indicate that Greenville and his small fleet had trouble along Cape Fear, and then on the outskirts of Portsmouth Island, with the ships catching in the dangerously shallow Diamond Shoals. Corolla Wild Horse Tours generally last two hours, and explore the northern Outer Banks beaches from the outskirts of Corolla all the way to the Virginia State Line located on the very edge of the Currituck Beaches. Are the Corolla Wild Horses on the beach? Greenville was an English commander overseen by Sir Walter Raleigh who made regular routes along the coastline from the West Indies, to the early colonies of North Carolina and Virginia, and back to England. They are currently cared for by Laura Michaels, an NPS employee, who holds the position of Wrangler/Animal Caretaker, and is helped by a handful of volunteers. Shopping & Retail. The Carova area has a wide array of vacation rental homes along the beaches and in the wooded soundside region, where the Corolla Wild Horses regularly make appearances. Our friendly and knowledgeable tour guides take you onto pristine northern beaches that are accessible only with a 4x4 off-road vehicle. Shackleford Banks, the southern-most barrier island in Cape Lookout National Seashore, is home to more than 100 wild horses. While historical journals, documents and ship's logs hint to the wild horses' origin, it's hard to determine one specific set of events that led to their presence on the Outer Banks. It’s said that some … PO Box 466, Ocracoke, NC 27960 They prove excellent drudges, and will travel incredible journeys.". The group has become a fixture on the northern Outer Banks, both for their long history of determined action and compassion, and their visible yet historic location at the Corolla Schoolhouse. An additional seasonal museum store is also located at the Corolla Light Towne Center, and horse lovers will be happy to know that all proceeds from either shop are directly given to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund for care and maintenance of these Outer Banks natives. Added to this is the romantic idea of a beach vacation that's truly wild, with mustangs who travel up and down the Carova beaches with ease and absolute abandon. It is illegal to feed the Corolla Wild Horses, and doing so can be dangerous to their health. Corolla Wild Horse Tours knowledgeable guides will ensure you and your family have a great wild horse tour! Unlike the Shackleford breed, while the Corolla Wild Horses are still relatively small, they are still the taller of the two at an average of 14 hands or 13 feet, 6 inches tall. It's because of this desolation, coupled with the help from the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, that the wild horses are able to thrive, relatively undisturbed by the limited development that has sprung up around them over the past 50 years. Visitors are free to take photos of the Corolla Wild Horses, provided that they stay at least 50 feet away from the horses at all time. Feeding or encroaching within 50 feet of a wild horse is illegal and dangerous to both humans and the horses. Fort Bragg, NC. 2020 Wild Horse Tours Guide. The Corolla Wild Horses are believed to have landed on the Outer Banks in the 16th century, and may have arrived as early as 1521 via an expedition led by Lucas Vasquez de Allyon. We are the closest company to the beach, and all guides are certified by the Corolla Horse Fund. High Wind Warning for Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island. Fill your plate with steak, pineapple glazed ham, fried chicken, BBQ ribs, and fettuccini Alfredo to name a few. The Corolla Wild Horses stick to the northern beaches of the Currituck Banks, where there are no paved roads and little development. Learn more about the history of the Ocracoke Banker Ponies at this website. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund estimated that approximately 1/3 of the horse "sanctuary" is public land, and 2/3 is private land, comprised of local vacation homes or undeveloped lots, but homeowners and vacationers alike certainly don't mind sharing their backyards with the passing wild natives. Jimmy’s Seafood Buffet is a great stop for an all you can eat affordable dinner extravaganza. You can buy it from Waterbug Records, http://waterbug.com/ or on iTunes. Obviously, vacationers won't be able to expect to ride the horses, or come close enough for a pet on the neck. Wild Ponies is out on "Cackalack" now. Halfway between the Ocracoke Village and the north end of the island, you will see the brown NPS sign for the Pony Pen. The late 1500s were a time of English expansion and colonization, as well as trading and commerce in the southern West Indies, (even among the Spanish who still frequented the coastline but were technically at war with England), and as a result a number of European ships would pass by the Outer Banks waters. Visitors to the 4WD accessible beaches just north of Carova may experience a truly remarkable encounter with the area's oldest and most beloved residents, the Wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs. In June of 1587, Greenville was leaving the West Indies with a healthy cargo of sugar, food, and livestock, (including Spanish mustangs), and was heading up the coast along with a small fleet of ships to carry the supplies, in order to deliver the goods to the newly established English colonies. Previous thru-hikers will often return to the state park for a chance to see these beautiful animals again. Behind a wooden fence lives the herd of Ocracoke Banker Ponies, descendants of Spanish mustangs who were shipwrecked just offshore several hundred years ago. They can also sporadically be seen in the sand dunes, and in wooded neighborhoods in the Carova area. If you’ve ever seen a shipwreck map of the … The Corolla Wild Horse Fund's home base of operations at the original Corolla Historic Schoolhouse also features an interactive wild horse educational museum and museum store, which is open year round. They are also narrow throughout the chest, and have five lumbar vertebrae as opposed to six, which is much more common in modern American domestic breeds. So, when the sun’s too hot or the rain is pouring (the best Outer Banks shopping days, by the way! A calendar of events for these programs and more can be found by clicking here. Venture out by boat or passenger ferry to enjoy the rare privilege of watching horses that live without the help of man. Some have suggested that the wild ponies of Assateague trace their origin to horses released to forage on the Island by early settlers. This story, which has been passed from generation to generation on Chincoteague Island, is stronger than fiction. Bring bug spray and a camera! Why do the Corolla Wild Horses travel in groups? ), Scarborough Lane is the place. Visitors should keep a safe distance from the Corolla Wild Horses if they encounter them on the beach. Wild Horse Tours Focus on Family. I am really a horse but we are called ponies because we are smaller than some horses, standing only about 14 hands high (a hand is about 4 inches and the measurement is made from where the neck meets the back to the ground). Taking some time to explore the Outer Banks wildlife is an absolute must. During severe weather events, Laura makes sure the ponies are fed and safe. Where can you find wild horses on the Outer Banks? The one thing any wild horse enthusiast should always bear in mind is to keep your distance. I am what some people call a banker pony. Is there a museum about the Corolla Wild Horses? No question about it, one of the most popular attractions on the Outer Banks are the wild horses of Corolla, North Carolina. The buffet also offers soft serve ice cream and a plethora of baked goods. The staff respond to emergencies regarding the horses, conducts DNA testing and local soil and plant studies, maintains the area fencing, and provides the public with a world of local information or activities to both introduce them to the local wild horses, and get them involved in their preservation. There are approximately 100 Corolla Wild Horses on the northern Outer Banks. They have a different number of vertebrae and ribs (much like Spanish mustangs), plus they are shaped differently, have different coloring, are generally smaller in size, and weigh less than other horses. 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