The 4WD area north of Corolla is home to some very special residents: a herd of well over 100 Colonial Spanish mustangs designated as the official State Horse of North Carolina. This recognition, established in 2010 by the N.C. The General Assembly, demonstrates this state’s love for this most unusual breed.
The best way to see the wild horses is to let the experts take the wheel and venture off-road with Corolla Wild Horse Tours. Established in 1996, their open-air, four-wheel-drive safari trucks seat 15 passengers and offer the perfect ride into Banker horse territory.
The historic Banker horses descended from Spanish mustangs and are thought to be among the oldest and rarest purebred Spanish Mustang strains in existence today. Local lore has it that the original horses survived a shipwreck in the shallow sandbars of Currituck in the 16th century, swam to shore and made a new home for themselves in what is now Corolla and Carova, where their descendants have lived ever since.
Wild horse behavior is fascinating. The horses are very territorial and generally stay in the same range in which they were born. They travel in harems, consisting of a dominant stallion and one to four mares. In traditional harems, the lead mare makes the decisions about when and where the harem will go, and the stallion is the protector. They move between 15 and 25 miles per day within their range. Stallions that are too old, too young or not dominant enough to challenge another harem stallion from their own family groups of bachelor stallions. They will fight viciously over mares and frequently try to steal mares from other stallions.
Tours are two hours long. Be sure to bring your water, sunscreen and sense of adventure, and be ready to make new friends as your fellow travelers could be from down the road or Down Under, which adds to the fun of the tour as you all share this unique experience.
Feel the wind in your hair, taste the salty sea air and get ready for gasps of excitement when you spot the horses. The tour trucks can easily handle the 4WD-area terrain, and while you might feel like you’re on a sandy rollercoaster at times, the ride is exhilarating, and the guides are experts in their profession! This tour will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.
The Corolla Wild Horse Fund, the organization that protects the horses and helps keep them wild, announced the births of new wild Banker fillies on St. Patrick’s Day. These births are crucial to the herd’s future, and your knowledgeable Corolla Wild Horse Tour guide will share lots of information about the new foals and the history of the herd. They also will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the area and its amazing history.
Nothing compares to the thrill of cruising down or beaches, and to do this in a 4WD area like Carova is a treat. Often times the Banker horses cool off in the ocean’s shallows to escape the biting flies, making for a perfect photo op!
Currituck County crafted local ordinances to protect the State Horse. Among other things, the ordinances state that feeding the wild horses or getting within 50 feet of them is punishable by a $500 fine. The horses are wild animals and can be unpredictable, and any human food can kill them (even apples and carrots). We all like our own space, and these beauties are no different!
If you want to experience history that has been 500 years in the making, awaken your senses to the beauty of nature and make some lasting memories on your Outer Banks vacation, then Corolla Wild Horse Tours is the activity for you.
BOOK YOUR TOUR TODAY!
(252) 207-0511
1159 Austin Street F, Corolla
seecorollawildhorses.com
About the Author Anna Thomas
I am originally from Manchester, England – go, Reds! I have made the Outer Banks my home for the last 25 years. I think that being close to the water is transformative, and I love how close I am to the power of nature here – in the ocean and the sky. I enjoy a good laugh with friends, reading, 80s music, traveling and spending time with my family
