One of the most exciting aspects of The Northern Outer Banks is the herd of wild horses roaming the 4x4 beaches north of Corolla.
These wild horses have a fascinating history. They are descendants of Spanish mustangs that early European explorers brought to this stretch of coastline in the 16th century. The Spanish mustangs survived in this isolated coastal habitat, and without any natural predators, their population grew into the thousands. Over time, as the horses adapted to the ecosystem and became enmeshed in the environment, they evolved into a distinct breed now known as the Banker horse landrace breed.
When the human population began to rise in the coastal area toward the end of the 20th century, the health and growth of the Banker herd took a significant hit. As new homes and businesses popped up in the horses’ habitat, and areas formerly inaccessible by car became paved and traveled, the horses faced many new challenges. When Highway 12 was paved in Corolla in 1984, the increasing presence of vehicles led to frequent collisions with horses, which heavily impacted their population.
Inspired by the horses’ indomitable spirit and fight for survival, concerned locals formed the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, a group committed to “protecting, conserving and responsibly managing the herd of Corolla wild horses roaming freely on the northernmost Currituck Outer Banks, and promoting the continued preservation of this land as a permanent sanctuary for horses."
Since then, the fund has relocated all of the horses to a protected area accessible only by 4x4 vehicles. Today, approximately 100 wild horses remain in this region. If you want to see them, the best way is to take a guided tour.
This is where the folks at Wild Horse Adventure Tours come in.
“Our experienced tour guides are here to educate the public about the horses and provide a safe and respectful way to navigate the 4x4 area and view the horses,” says General Manager Pete Cole.
Wild Horse Adventure Tours provides guests with an immersive and safe experience. Trips to the 4x4 area are made in a custom-fitted, open-air, 13-passenger Hummer complete with stadium seating, seatbelts, child restraints, windscreens and extra legroom. These accommodations and customizations make for the smoothest, safest ride possible through the unpaved beach, sand dunes and backroads and offer a panoramic view of the coastal ecosystem and horses. Every seat has an unbroken view, so you can get all the photos you want.
On your journey with a knowledgeable Wild Horse Adventure Tours guide, you’ll learn all about the history of the horses and their behaviors and the natural ecosystem.
The guides know these horses and their home like the back of their hands, recognizing individual horses by name from the distinctive markings on their faces and bodies. This intimate understanding of the herd and its patterns helps the guides readily locate the untagged horses in the wild and gives guests an amazing experience.
“One of the most important aspects of our company, aside from educating the public, is training our tour guides and staff,” Cole says. “We have a low guide turnover, and that's really important with a job like this. Everybody is on board with the company's mission and with what we're trying to do. Our extensively trained tour guides know how to navigate the area respectfully, know all of the laws and also provide a lot of really good information on the area and the history of the horses.”
Understandably, visitors to Corolla are excited to see the Banker horses. However, a few things must be kept in mind to keep them safe and wild. From the tour guides, you’ll quickly learn that the first rule of thumb is to keep at least 50 feet away from any horse at all times, even if they approach you. This isn’t just a suggestion – it’s the law. It is also illegal to feed the horses. Any and all human food can be toxic and harmful to horses, even fruits and vegetables.
Cole and the Wild Horse Adventure Tours staff want to impart to the public that “the horses and their habitat need their continued support to thrive in this environment.” This means following the rules and regulations of the 4x4 area closely and supporting conservation efforts.
Wild Horse Adventure Tours does not just talk the talk. They are committed to wild horse conservation through annual donations to American Wild Horse Conservation and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. They also offset their carbon footprint in an effort to preserve the horses’ natural habitat by donating to American Forests, which has planted more than 4,000 trees in the Banker horses’ name.
“It’s important to educate the public and to recognize the people in the area who are keeping the horses safe and ensuring that they can be here long term,” Cole says. “We give back to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund as much as possible and encourage our customers to do the same.”
And while local businesses and conservation groups do their part, it’s essential for everyone to get involved in the preservation of these special horses. The people at Wild Horse Adventure Tours believe that seeing the herd in their natural environment and learning their history is a great place to start.
BOOK ONLINE
WildHorseTour.com
(800) 460-4136 / (252) 489-2020
610 Currituck Clubhouse Drive, Corolla
About the Author Leah Wingenroth
Leah was born and raised on the Outer Banks and is an alumnus of Appalachian State University and King's College. She currently resides in England, writing and managing content in the lifestyle, education, travel and literary publishing sectors.
