Corolla Wild Horse Fund

9 hours ago

On the morning of Wednesday, October 30, we made the difficult but necessary decision to euthanize Raymond the mule due to a small scrotal hernia that occluded the affected loops of his small intestine.

We believe that Raymond was in his late 20s. He was the offspring of a wild Banker mare and a donkey that lived with the herd before there was a domestic livestock ordinance in place. He was actually Raymond Jr (or maybe even Raymond III) - his sire the donkey was the original Raymond. He was also known by locals as Jack, Rebel, Burrito, and probably a few other choice nicknames over the years.

Raymond spent most of his life in the wild and lived just like the horses - he had a harem of mares, raised foals (even though they weren’t biologically his - mules are sterile), and fought other stallions for territory. He had a reputation for being fierce, and most of the stallions gave him a wide berth. Because he was a hybrid, Raymond did not have all of the physical adaptations we see with the Banker horses and as a result had issues with his hooves throughout much of his life. When he was younger they would grow out and break off without any intervention, but as he got older and less active he was unable to self-trim. Late in 2017 we sedated Raymond and trimmed his feet in the field, which helped him for a while. But by the following year they had grown back out and he had become severely lame, so we made the decision to take him to the farm where we’d be able to provide him the care he needed.

We were a little worried that Raymond would have a hard time adapting to life on the farm, but he quickly showed us that we should never underestimate him. He settled right in and figured out how to wrap us around his hooves, and for the next five years our lives would revolve around him. We were able to correct many of the issues with his hooves and keep him sound and comfortable, he was put on a diet more appropriate for a mule his age, and he even agreed to being halter trained. We built him his own pasture where he didn’t have to worry about other horses challenging him (turns out he really wasn’t all that fierce, he was just very defensive) and we did our best to accommodate and indulge in all of his many quirks and idiosyncrasies. After we rescued Blossom last year she and Raymond lived together at the farm as they had in the wild, and they were both so happy to have each other’s company.

Our goal for Raymond, especially over the last year or so, was to keep him content and comfortable. We knew that should he become seriously ill there wasn’t much we could do for him due to his age, other underlying health issues, his temperament, and the fact that we could no longer safely anesthetize him. Quality of life was the most important part of his care plan, and he was definitely a very happy mule right up to the moment he passed away. It doesn’t make the loss any easier or less heartbreaking, but there is certainly a lot of comfort to be taken from that.

Finding the words that fully encapsulate Raymond’s extraordinary life and his place in our history is proving to be quite difficult. There will never be another one like him, and his death is the end of an era. He is the closing chapter on a way of life that does not exist here anymore. He was everything a Banker is supposed to be - resilient, adaptable, smart. He was truly the salt of the earth.

We will remember him fondly and miss him dearly. It’s way too quiet around here without him hollering at us.

Raymond touched so many lives and was adored by so many people. We’d like for you to help us write his eulogy by visiting this special page on our website that we’ve set up for him. Please share your memories, photographs, and condolences so that we can celebrate his life together: www.corollawildhorses.com/remembering-raymond-submissions/

Rest well, Raymond.

**Media outlets have the permission of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund to share the information and photos in this post. ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 days ago

This is what Fall looks like on The Northern Outer Banks! 🍂

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+5

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

On Thursday, October 17 when our herd management team located Flint to check on him he was noticeably more listless than he had been the last time he was seen, had increased drainage coming from both nostrils, and an odor that was indicative of a tooth infection. This is not something a horse his age, in his condition, can survive without intervention, especially going into the winter. After consulting with our veterinarian, we decided to bring Flint to the farm for x-rays since there was still a chance that we could do something to take care of the infection and then give him a safe “retirement” for the rest of his days.

(If you missed our first post about Flint you can read it here: www.facebook.com/corollawildhorses.org/posts/931410095687407)

The following day we were able to catch Flint and bring him to our farm. We administered antibiotics and painkillers, and he spent the weekend happily eating the grass that had been growing in our medical paddock all summer (much softer and easier for him to chew than hay or the rough forage in the wild). He really enjoyed getting scratches around his ears, eating as many sweet, ripe persimmons as we’d give him, and resting his old body in the sun.

On Monday our vet came over to examine him, and x-rays indicated that he had no functional teeth left - they were all cracked, broken, or entirely missing. He was also suffering from a severe sinus infection and had packed organic material where the missing teeth had been, along with inspissated purulent material. There was really nothing left to fix inside his mouth, and any attempts to do so would have just caused more damage and discomfort. Based on the state of his teeth, along with other physical characteristics, we determined he was at least in his late 30s. At that point there was no question that the best thing for Flint would be to help him pass safely and peacefully.

Flint was laid to rest in a quiet spot in the woods at the farm, next to his son Danny.

The history of the Outer Banks is told in legends - from the Lost Colony to Blackbeard to ponies in the hulls of grounded Spanish ships. The stories are woven into the fabric of what we know to be the true history - inseparable and true in their own right. There have been horses over the years whose stories have become legendary - Black Bess, Star, Little Red Man, Amadeo, Chaos, Raymond. They help us tell the history of the Banker horses and their relationship to this land, to us, and to each other. They serve as reminders of the strength, adaptability, and steadfast perseverance that has allowed this herd to flourish here for hundreds of years. They are a testament to the work that CWHF has done to protect, preserve, and responsibly manage this endangered breed.

Flint, after 40 years of life on this beach, has become a legend now too. His story certainly did not die with him; it lives on in his countless offspring and the mark he left on the herd, and in the memories of him that we will share for many, many years to come.

Rest well, Flint. It was truly an honor.

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+6

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

Last week we posted about Flint, an old stallion we’ve been monitoring for the last couple months as he approaches the end of his life. He is not the only older horse we’ve been keeping a close eye on recently. Yesterday we euthanized a mare named Mocha who was in her late 20s, and who, like Flint, had been slowing down and in declining body condition for the last several months.

Mocha went down sometime Monday night or early Tuesday morning and was spotted by some contractors working on a house. They did the right thing and reported it to us, and once we determined that she was definitely unable to get back up we called our vet who made the trip across the sound to humanely euthanize her. She died peacefully and quietly, and was laid to rest in a safe, secluded spot in the place that had been her home for her entire life. This is what we hope for every wild horse in the herd.

Mocha was very wild and rangy, blind in one eye, and tough as nails. She lived most of her life in the marsh and we didn’t see her too often. She was the kind of horse you feel guilty touching even after death, because she would have never wanted nor tolerated that in life. This morning there was a rainbow right over the spot where Mocha died. We’d like to think it was a thank-you for respecting her wildness and letting her live and die with the dignity she deserved, and a reminder to stay hopeful for the future of this herd.

Rest easy, Mocha.

*We’d like to thank Tab WinborneCorporation for getting our vet back and forth across the sound so quickly yesterday - we so appreciate your support and kindness during these stressful, difficult situations.

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

4 weeks ago

Our fall open house at the farm is tomorrow! The ponies are ready to see you and our gift shop is fully stocked with lots of new merchandise, horse paintings, photography, and more. We’ll also be doing a silent auction, Middleton Clay Project will be here doing a live demonstration, and Jeff Hampton will be signing copies of his book.

More info: www.facebook.com/share/UfEDgtP8HR88cqYw/?mibextid=9l3rBW ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

4 weeks ago

We have been very closely monitoring one of the oldest horses in the herd, a stallion named Flint, since early last spring. We believe he is in his 30s, and over the last nine months or so he’s been slowing down and showing signs that he is approaching the end of his life. While he’s lost a significant amount of weight (typical for a wild horse his age), he has been moving around his territory like normal, grazing, and otherwise behaving as he always has - just a bit slower.

Our veterinarian was regularly updated on his condition through the spring and summer, and we continue to have weekly (if not more often) discussions about him. We do not want him to suffer, but we also do not want to prematurely interfere with the natural cycle of life. Right now the weather is very nice and there is still plenty to eat, so we see no reason to intervene as long as Flint continues to behave normally. This could change at any time and we are prepared to intervene immediately should our veterinarian and herd management team determine that is the right course of action.

Flint was a prolific stallion when he was in his prime, siring many foals including some names you may be familiar with - Taco, Danny, Sebastian, Obi-Wan (formerly known as William), Finn, Cadiz, and possibly Ocean Pearl. He’s also very closely related to many of the mares that were taken to Dews Island in 1999, including Brownie, Bella, Moxie, and Luna. His bloodlines are old and extremely valuable. Because of his age it is unlikely we will ever know for sure who his parents were, which means he is a foundation stallion for the Corolla herd. That is quite an esteemed honor.

Our goal is for each and every Corolla Banker to live wild and free, and that means we must also do our best to ensure they die wild and free. A long, well-lived life is something to celebrate and Flint has certainly accomplished that. We will continue to monitor him closely and will do what is best from both a wildlife management and veterinary perspective. We appreciate everyone’s concern for Flint’s well-being, as well as your trust in us to do what is best for him.

(Photos taken today, 10/10/2024)

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Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

We had a great time on Thursday unveiling the new statue in Duck! There’s a link to the mini-documentary below in case you missed it. 🐎 ... See MoreSee Less

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