The Corolla Herd of roughly 100 free-roaming wild horses (also called Banker horses) live on 7,544 acres of public and privately owned land along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The majestic animals attract thousands of visitors who are awed by their beauty, fascinated to see them along the beach, and if they are lucky spot a spirited foal with its mother.
The Colonial Spanish Mustangs have called the area home for nearly 500 years. Non-profit Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF) protects and manages the herd by allowing them to remain wild and free unless intervention is absolutely necessary.
These are wild animals and people need to keep their distance for their safety and that of the horses. CWHF shares updates on the herd on their Facebook page, including sad news like the passing of one of the horses.
Beloved stallion “Surfer”, who was easily recognizable by flaxen mane and dominant presence, suffered a fatal kick to the head. CWHF wrote, “It’s likely he wasn’t even in a serious fight with another stallion; it was an unfortunately well-placed kick that could have just as easily come from a mare.”
The 15-year-old stallion sired at least three offspring, with one still in the wild to carry on his legacy. Surfer was spotted with his mares taking a much-needed break in the ocean to escape the biting flies and cool off. He was also seen alongside his foal Riptide shortly after his birth.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. “He was stunningly beautiful and charismatic, and carried himself with an air of confidence that always made him stand out. He was very wild and very driven, and today we are taking great comfort in the fact that he died of natural causes without ever having human hands laid on him,” shared CWHF.
They went on to say that “nature can be unforgiving” and how fragile life can be for the wild horses. They ask people to help give the horses, “the best possible chance by not habituating them, driving slowly and carefully, and being good stewards of the environment.”
Surfer died as he lived – wild and free. Rest in peace.
