Putting Things in Perspective

Summer is drawing to a close. The last five months have been exceptionally busy and stressful. Two horses hit by vehicles resulting in euthanization. An orphaned foal to raise. A poisoned foal to care for. Domestic horses living and being ridden among the wild horses. Hours and hours of education on the beach and behind the dunes in an effort to keep visitors from feeding or getting within 50 feet of the horses. Multiple activities and projects going on simultaneously. Long hours, never ending workload. By this time of year, we are all extremely tired, and I have to admit, it is easy to become discouraged. It is all too easy to focus only on the negatives. Then, just when we need it the most, something wonderful happens. Something that reminds us all over again of how very fortunate we are to be in the presence of these incredible horses and what an honor it is to be responsible for them.

The picture above is a strong woman fighting back from the effects of a stroke and a 3 year old Colonial Spanish Mustang mare called Whispering Jesse. Two and a half years ago Jesse was a part of the wild herd. She now lives in Marshall, Texas at Karma Farms. Her new mission in life is to be the companion of Mary-Margaret. After suffering a stroke her balance problems make it difficult for her to ride but she longed for a horse to care for and love. The following is an excerpt from today’s email from Vicki Ives, one of the leading experts on Colonial Spanish Horses in the country and the owner of Karma Farms.

“Mary-Margaret wanted a critter to love, groom and adore. If Margaret would agree that little Whispering Jesse would never have to leave Karma Farms (where her best friends Splendor Splash, Adam's Eve and her one day mate, our Corolla stallion The Sea King live), we would agree to sell Jessie to Margaret to be groomed, loved, trained and eventually to be a part of the Karma Farms "dude string" for our younger riders. Margaret was so excited that she had to go and meet Jessie immediately.

I drove her to the pasture where Jessie and Splash joined us as soon as they saw my truck. Were they in for a pleasant surprise--I'd brought the feed bucket! They were "in my back pocket" immediately. I slipped on Jessie's halter and handed her lead to Margaret, delighting in the joy that bloomed in Margaret's eyes.

"She's SO beautiful!" Mary-Margaret exclaimed. ""Can I take her home and groom her?"

I hadn't crossed that bridge, hadn't considered that Margaret might want to start with her RIGHT NOW. We were 1/2 a mile from my house in a meadow full of Colonial Spanish Horses and there was no way to get Jessie back to my house and the grooming equipment unless Margaret walked her there. When I thought of a young mare asked to leave her herd in the meadow for the first time by herself and then be led down the hill, across the creek and over the Home Pasture to the house by a slightly disabled stroke victim, I had some reservations. But I had started this and I believed that Jessie was what Mary-Margaret needed. It was karma--if she could get Jessie to the house by herself on her first attempt, I'd know that this was a bonding that was designed by Someone a lot bigger than me. I show Margaret how to use her lead for a come-along if Jessie balked and watched them set out over Dairy Hill.

"If she's not at the house in 15 minutes, I'll go get Jessie for her myself," I thought. But there was no need. Before I had time to really worry, I saw Mary-Margaret and Jessie coming over the creek crossing and heading for the house. I ran for my camera and hid beside the round pen to record their success. In the shadow of a small tree so that Margaret didn't even know I was taking pictures, I recorded their first success. Enjoy!”


I thank Vicki for sharing this story and putting things back in perspective for us – especially for me. The bottom line is that these horses are very, very special. Not only are they highly intelligent, exceptionally athletic, beautiful movers, strong, brave, and adaptable – they are healers of mind, spirit, and body. “Bread may feed my body, but a horse feeds my soul.” - Anonymous

Luck, Love and Toxins

He is a two month old colt. He doesn’t walk - he staggers. His head is either hanging down or twisted off to the side. He had forgotten how to nurse. He is oblivious to what is happening around him. He got kicked in the head by another wild horse. Blood work has shown that his liver enzymes are three times above normal. The liver is a filter. When it is compromised, more toxins build up in the body, including the brain. Without intervention, within days, death is certain.

On Monday morning, we brought a wild mare and her foal from Swan Beach. We got a call from Currituck County Dispatch about a foal in distress around 3:15 on Sunday. In the middle of a fierce thunderstorm with torrential rain and vivid lightening, CWHF staff and volunteers responded immediately. A special thanks also goes out to Ocean Rescue staffer, Patrick (I apologize from not knowing his last name) for his assistance as well. We were able to pen the foal and his mother in a beach house carport. On the advice of Dominion Equine Clinic, we treated the foal with medication onsite, and the homeowner and her daughter, kindly checked on them periodically after we left at 9:00 p.m. The foal did not improve and by 8:15 a.m. Monday, he was on our trailer with his mother.

Dr. Bart Kite met us at Wrangler Farms and thoroughly examined the foal and drew blood from both mother and foal. We continued treatment with DMSO both intravenously and with paste, as well as injections of banamine for pain. The foal continued to show no signs of improvement and we prepared ourselves for the worst.

Dr. Kite returned Tuesday with the results of the blood tests. The foal had ingested something toxic. We administered IV medicine again and as we were discussing what the course of action should be, the foal attempted to nurse for the first time in 48 hours. Momma wasn’t at all happy initially but eventually allowed him to nurse for a few minutes until he lost interest. Wesley (our Herd Manager) was able to get about an ounce of milk replacer in him via baby bottle before he collapsed. We decided to aggressively treat him another day and we named him “Suerte”, Spanish for “Lucky.” We named momma, “Amarosa”, or Love

He nursed several times during the night and at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Wesley reported that the foal’s motor skills seemed slightly improved. He is still not out of the woods by any means but we are finally encouraged.

What is NOT encouraging is the fact that he ingested something poisonous. If you live on the north beach, PLEASE, do not dump your antifreeze or anything else into the sound, the canals, ponds, puddles, or into the sand. The horses rely on what grows on the land and they drink the water. If it is poisoned – so are they.

With luck and the best veterinary care available, we pray that we can beat the toxins and restore this foal to a quality life. It is not just our job – it is our passion.

Managing for Extinction

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is the only nongovernmental organization in the country responsible for the management of wild horses. Every other wild herd is managed by the federal government through the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), or US Fish & Wildlife Service – all of which are components of the Department of the Interior. The overwhelming majority of the horses under their care are located in the western states. According to the Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, a national nonprofit dedicated to preserving what is left of America’s wild horses, flawed management practices, especially by the BLM, have resulted in more wild horses and burros now being held in government holding pens than exist in the wild. BLM has systematically favored subsidized livestock grazing on public lands over wild horses – even though the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act set aside these lands for wild horses and burros. Over 30,000 wild horses languish in steel pens. Many have died or been seriously injured, especially during helicopter roundups of “excess” horses.

Over the past 38 years, the intent of the act has been seriously eroded. Over 19 million acres that the Act granted to wild horses and burros have been taken away. Recently, BLM began asking Congress for permission to euthanize thousands of healthy horses and burros or sell to them for slaughter in Mexico and Canada.

The practice of chasing wild horses and burros with helicopters, often over exceedingly long distances, is nothing short of cruel. The photo above is from a “round-up” on US Fish & Wildlife’s Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. The primary concern in round-up operations continues to be efficiency, to the detriment of the horses’ welfare. Instead of helicopters, officials should be required to use bait trapping, a much safer and more humane method of capture. BLM has refused to use bait trapping in such instances as the 2007 Jackson Mountain round-up, when 185 horses died at the holding facility.

A few days ago, the House of Representatives passed HR1018, the ROAM Act. ROAM stands for Restoring Our American Mustangs Act. Introduced by U.S. Representatives Rahall (West VA.) and Grijalva (Arizona), the bill amends the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act by adding important new protections and provisions, such as the banning of helicopter round-ups and the reclaiming of land. It is the first ray of hope for wild horses in the west in decades. North Carolina’s United States Congressman, Walter Jones, voted to support the bill. The Act must now pass the Senate.

For more information and how you can help, please go to http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/

Other links:
http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/sheldon.html Warning: Telling but disturbing images of what happens during mass “gathers of excess horses.”

What does this all have to do with the wild horses of Corolla? Part of the range of the Corolla wild horses is the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge managed by USF&W, a bureau of the US Department of Interior. While I do not foresee our horses EVER being chased by helicopters or sold for slaughter, the policies and attitudes toward the presence of wild horses on public land are set at the top. Current policy does not allow for horses on the Currituck Wildlife Refuge and their current Comprehensive Conservation Plan defines the horses as “pest animals.”

We work cooperatively with the Refuge staff, helping to maintain an exclosure fence, and monitoring the presence of horses on the refuge. Annual aerial counts have shown that the maximum number of horses ever found on the refuge is 26 (2,500+ acres). About 73% of the herd has consistently been found on the privately owned land. It is our continued hope that as we gather more scientific data regarding the actual impact of the horses on federally owned land, that we will ultimately be permitted to increase the herd size to the recommended genetically and physically healthy range of 120 – 130. The wild horses on the Shackleford Bank portion of Cape Lookout National Seashore are managed at this level on 3,000 acres. The Corolla herd has access to a total of 7,544 but the current management plan still calls for a maximum herd size of 60.

We cannot and will not allow management for extinction here.

Happy Endings

If you’ve never been to Wild Horse Days, you’re missing out – especially this year. Our silent auction was bigger than ever, thanks to all the wonderful local merchants who supported our efforts to care for and protect our unique and historic herd of wild horses and through the efforts of volunteers who worked tirelessly to solicit auction items. Because of the generosity of Wrangler Farms in Grandy, we were able to offer mini riding lessons and “pony” rides on once wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs who live because they were rescued and rehabilitated by the Corolla Wild Horse Fund and its dedicated volunteers. Board member Steve Edwards and his students traveled nearly two hours to bring Corollas, BLM Mustangs, Chincoteagues and Shacklefords. We were able to triple the number of children’s activities through the efforts of our board president and volunteers, and we raised the most funds to support our efforts to protect and preserve the wild horses in the 6 year history of Wild Horse Days. However, the highlight of Wild Horse Days came on the last day, in the last hours and on the day after.

A horse tour guide called Herd Manager Wesley Stallings around 4 p.m. on July 9th to report seeing a group of mares and a stallion trying to drive a tiny foal from the harem, biting and kicking the baby. We still had many people on the grounds of the Wild Horse Museum and our truck’s tires were not aired down as we had been hauling trailers. (Traveling the 4X4 beach requires tire pressure of 16 – 20 pounds.) Board President Kimberlee Hoey jumped in her Jeep and headed up in advance. We communicated with Kimberlee by phone. The foal was trying to nurse but no mares would allow it. The temperature was in the 80’s and if dehydration didn’t kill the foal, a well placed kick from an adult horse would. Clearly, the foal’s mother had been stolen by another stallion and the foal was left behind. Wesley instructed Kimberlee to try and get the foal away from the other horses and restrain it if possible.

When we reached the location, Kimberlee was sitting in the sand, a safe distance from the harem across the street. The exhausted foal was in her arms. Wesley was on the phone with the vet at Dominion Equine Clinic. The vet recommended a baby bottle with water to try and hydrate the foal. Two men who were staying in a nearby house with their families offered a baby bottle with water. Wesley cradled the foal in his arms and climbed into the back seat of our truck. I drove and he was able to get the foal to drink a bit of water from the bottle and we raced to meet the vet at Wrangler Farms in Grandy.

After a thorough examination by the vet, the filly was determined to be 3 – 5 days old. Miraculously, she had no broken bones and only a small bite mark on her neck. To save her life, she would have to be bottle fed a commercial mare milk replacer every two hours, night and day for two weeks. Wesley has taken night shift, sleeping in his truck between feedings, and Wrangler staff has taken the day.

EVERYONE has fallen in love with “Kimberlee’s Sunrise” – or Sunny. She is thriving, kicking at the air, jumping, and bucking after each feeding. She is sleeping peacefully in her stall with a full tummy and many loving hands to scratch her neck.

The next day, we responded to a call at 5:45 p.m. regarding a wild mare with a beach chair around her neck and through her front legs. She was captured, the beach chair was cut away from around her neck, and she was released to rejoin her family group. It probably resulted from her reaching through the opening in the chair for food left behind by tourists who had been feeding her earlier.

Wild Horse Days is one of the many ways we generate the resources we need to do what is necessary to help horses like Sunny and the entangled wild mare. If you sponsored, attended, or volunteered in some capacity, you were an important part of saving their lives. If you are a member, a customer, or a supporter in another way, you can all be proud to be a part of these two happy endings. Thank you to each and every one of you who support the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. You ARE making a difference.

Killing Them Softly

I have been the Director of the CWHF for nearly three years now. In that time, I have seen a tremendous expansion in the size and scope of commercial businesses related to viewing the wild horses. It is a lucrative business. For the most part, the horse tour companies are being more respectful than ever this summer. In part, it is due to the eyes of the county being upon them, and also due to tour guide training and education provided by CWHF.

It still seems however, that there is no limit to the measures that certain tour companies will take to profit from the presence of the wild horses. On June 27th, there were three domestic horses being ridden north on the 4X4 beach with two other horses being “ponyed.” (led by riders on horseback). I observed at least one rider drinking. A sanctuary patrol officer stopped to ask them to not continue and explained that even if vaccinated, their domestic horses can carry diseases to the wild horses for which they have no immunity. She also warned them that the wild stallions would see them as a threat and may charge them. They did not care. In fact, they were defiant. I also stopped them but they had no interest in hearing what I had to say and told me that they were “delivering” the horses to the owner of Barrier Island “Eco” Tours. This horse tour company operates two monster buses and at least one suburban. They told me that the owner had built a corral and would be keeping the horses on his property on the north beach. His plan for the horses is a commercial enterprise to give horseback rides to tourists. In essence --to ride the domestic horses among the wild horses.

As they were riding up the beach, a stallion appeared on top of the dunes. He did what comes naturally to him. He charged the intruders to his territory in an attempt to drive them off and protect his harem. One of the horses reared, throwing its adult male rider to the ground. Sheriff’s deputies had to chase the wild stallion back several times. Unfazed, the riders continued, stopping occasionally to talk to curious beachgoers and on one occasion, allowing a bikini clad woman to step from the bed of her truck into the saddle and go for a pony ride of sorts. All the while, the female rider that was giving the “pony ride” had a bottle of alcohol in her hand. At one point in time, they were riding illegally on the Currituck Wildlife Refuge. Clearly, here is yet another group of individuals who have little or no respect for law, or for the wellbeing of the wild horses.

One of our volunteers was told by the owner that the domestic horses “won’t hurt the wild horses,” and that there were domestic horses kept on the beach in the past and nothing happened to the wild horses then. The “then” was 20 years ago and the wild horses had a range of over 27 miles and at least 25,000 acres. Chances of interaction between a wild horse and a handful owned by a former commissioner were far less likely than today. Today, the wild horses’ range is 7, 500 acres and there are more wild horses, more houses, more vehicles, and more people that in the “past.” Also -- there was no one looking after or monitoring the wild horses “then” to be a voice for them.

To expose the wild horses to domestic horses on a daily basis is an outrage. The Colonial Spanish Mustangs of the Currituck Outer Banks are already on the endangered breed list. To create a situation with the potential to wipe out the entire herd is beyond irresponsible – it is reprehensible. Our Commissioners and county staff are working on the legal issues as I write this and for that I am very grateful. Barrier Island “Eco” Tours is in violation of at least one county ordinance and possibly more. The legal process has been set into motion. And I haven’t even touched on the safety issues involved when you put inexperienced and unsuspecting riders on horseback and risk the same kind of interaction that occurred on Saturday. Disastrous.

The wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs of the Currituck Outer Banks have managed to survive nearly 500 years of hurricanes and fierce nor’easters. Their Spanish and Arab ancestry is most apparent when they are trotting, floating suspended, like a hydrofoil hovers and skims just above the water. Stallions are heavily muscled, strong and proud, fighting fiercely to protect their own or acquire new mares. They are descended from the horses of kings. They are at the heart of what represents the spirit of the Outer Banks – wild, rugged, tough – free. Billy Clayton, or anyone else, must not be allowed to keep domestic horses on the north beach and must not be allowed to profit from the presence of the wild horses with NO REGARD for their wellbeing.

THE COROLLA WILD HORSE FUND REQUESTS THAT YOU DO NOT PATRONIZE ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES OFFERED BY BARRIER ISLAND ECO TOURS.

CHARGED!

Remember this name. Kendra James. She is a recent college graduate who I understand is planning on becoming a teacher. She was charged today for failure to report injuring a wild horse on the north beach of Corolla on March 29th. She knew she hit the horse but she drove away leaving him to suffer for hours and hours. It was during an unusually hot spell for March – temperatures were in the high 90’s during the day and the 80’s at night. The insects were unbearable. When found, he literally had a moat of sorts around him. He could only pivot around in a circle on his uninjured left hind leg. He was shaking from the effort to stay upright.

Almost all of us have made mistakes when we were young. Done foolish things that we regret. But this young woman was VERY familiar with the northern beaches. Her parents have owned a home in Carova for years. It is impossible to spend even a short time there and NOT know that there are wild horses on the sand roads and beaches at all hours. She would also have to know that the beaches and sand roads of the northern Outer Banks are very dark at night. There are no such things as street lights on the northern most beaches. The speed limit is 15. She hit a horse, close to the dune line, with enough force to cause a compound fracture. That is hard to do if you are going 15 miles an hour or not impaired in some manner. She stated that she was going 20 – 25 miles an hour and that it was foggy. Even more reason to not be out driving around on the beach in the predawn hours.
She also stated that a group of horses ran out in front of her and she tried to swerve but the sand ruts were too deep. The first volunteer on the scene stated that there were no other prints except that of the injured horse and that tire tracks led up to the horse and then backed off at an angle. Kendra, is an experienced beach driver and, there WERE NO DEEP RUTS on the beach where the horse was hit. I saw that myself.

She finally admitted to hitting the horse to an investigating officer but not until nearly two and a half months had passed. She knew, and she left him. She stated that she “didn’t know who to call.” All she had to do was call 911. What about taking responsibility for your actions? The outcome would have been the same because the break was so bad, but he could have at least been spared the hours and hours of agonizing pain that he suffered.

At 21, everyone should know that it is wrong to severely injure an animal and leave it suffer. I will never understand how she justified not notifying anyone that could help the horse, or how she justified not taking responsibility for her actions. Is this what she will teach her students?

We are so grateful to Currituck County Sherriff Susan Johnson, Detective Vic Lasher, Lt. Jason Banks, and any other police officers who assisted in the arrest. They treated this crime with importance it deserved and sent a message that irresponsible behavior will not be overlooked or tolerated.

The Path to Protection

Since euthanization of Spec, who was hit by a driver who again heartlessly left another horse to suffer in agony, we have received more e mails and letters than I can count. Many have asked, “Why aren’t these horses better protected?” and “What is your organization doing to find protection?”

Some history is necessary before anyone can understand just how far we have come in the last two and a half years. Did you know that in 1926, there were five to six thousand wild horses all up and down the Outer Banks? (National Geographic) Now there are 98 north of Corolla and 127 on Shackleford Banks (Cape Lookout National Seashore). What happened to all those horses over the last 73 years? They had no protection. In fact, when the National Park Service began buying the land that is now the Hatteras Island National Seashore, there was a bounty placed on wild horses in 1938. Wild horses have never been recognized as native wildlife and are still considered today to be a “feral,” “invasive species” or “pest animal” by the Department of the Interior (US Fish & Wildlife and National Park Service) and the North Carolina Estuarine Research Reserve.

From the 1950s up until the late '80s, removal of the horses was standard operating procedure for the National Park service, which owns and manages a large portion of the Outer Banks. In addition, anyone who wanted a wild horse could just capture it and sell it if they wished. That is one of the reasons that we have no horses that are any color other than bay, sorrel, black, or chestnut. The unusually colored horses were caught by residents and sold off years ago.

It is commonly but mistakenly believed that the wild horses of Corolla live on a protected sanctuary. They do not. Although defined as a wild horse sanctuary, seventy percent of the land they roam is privately owned by individuals and limited partnerships. Out of the 7,544 acres available, the North Carolina Estuarine Research Reserve owns 331 acres, the Nature Conservancy owns 62 acres, United States Fish & Wildlife owns approximately 2,500, and the rest is private land. There are over 3,000 platted lots on the private land and over 1300 houses. The beach is the road and the only way that residents and vacation rentals can reach their homes.

The wild horses on Shackleford Banks (Cape Lookout National Seashore) – genetically the same breed as the Corollas (registered Colonial Spanish Mustangs) have been federally protected since 1997.These horses are managed by the National Park Service who once took steps to remove them. The Shackleford Banks Act, written by US Congressman Walter Jones, mandates not only that the herd be managed at a healthier number than the Corolla herd (120 – 130 as opposed to 60 - but that’s a whole other topic) it also makes doing what has been done to our horses (7 shot and 2 hit) a FEDERAL OFFENSE. The Shackleford herd roams 3,000 acres of land owned solely by the National Park Service, not inhabited, and accessible only by boat.

In 1989, Currituck County enacted a Wild Horse Ordinance as the Corolla area was exploding with development and horse/human interactions were becoming more frequent. There is a link to the ordinance on our home page. If it were not for the efforts of the county, there would be no consequences for impacting the life of a Corolla wild horse at all. We are grateful to the county for their foresight as it is still the only protection that they have.

To make a complex and lengthy saga short, we have been working tirelessly to acquire the same level of protection for the Corolla horses as the Shackleford horses enjoy. It is complex because the Corolla horses roam state, federal, AND private land and the missions of the state and federal agencies are in conflict with the presence of the horses.

Those are just a few of the many obstacles on the path to protection but we HAVE made progress. DNA testing and registration by the Horse of the Americas registry confirms the Spanish origin of the wild horses. Congressman Jones was here in Corolla last October and other legislators have been receptive as well. We have just finished up a project with the Currituck School District that involved primary, elementary, and middle school students in a letter writing campaign. Hundreds of students wrote letters asking that the Colonial Spanish Mustang be designated the North Carolina State Horse and both Representative Bill Owens and Senator Marc Basnight have indicated that they will sponsor and support such legislation. Students in Dare County will be participating in the fall and we hope to have at least a thousand letters for a formal presentation in November.

The children of Currituck and Dare Counties are standing up for the horses. If you live in North Carolina and have a child or classroom that would like to participate, visit our home page and click on the NC State flag. Or just read what some of the children have written – it will inspire you.

If you aren’t a member of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, please become one now. Members are voters and voters give the horses a much needed voice. I need to be able to show our federal legislators that thousands of people, all over the country, believe that these horses are worthy of preservation and protection. Don’t they deserve the same protection as their wild relatives on Shackleford Banks? Perhaps if they are the state horse of North Carolina we will be one step closer.