Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 hours ago

Part Two of Maria and Carlos’s Journey 🛤️

Read Part One here: www.facebook.com/share/p/1CdaPnycVr/

The first four hours of the drive were relatively uneventful. We didn’t even hit any traffic in the tunnel! But when we stopped for fuel in Charlottesville we noticed that one of the trailer tires was starting to split. We figured since we didn’t have any horses on the trailer and weren’t on any kind of a schedule, we’d try to find a place where we could get a new tire rather than using the spare and then not having an extra tire for the rest of the trip. We were able to find somewhere that was open and had the tires we needed in stock (shout out to the Discount Tire on Seminole Trail in Charlottesville, VA!), and they got us squared away and back on the road in pretty much no time. Whew! We got to our hotel around 11pm and hit the hay.

The next morning we had another 45 minute drive to Susan and Larry’s, and arrived at their farm around 8am. Maria and Carlos were adopted out before our current herd management team worked for CWHF, so we’d never met them in person before. The minute we laid eyes on them it felt like we’d known them forever. They are just the sweetest, kindest, most trusting horses, which makes sense because their people are all of those things too. They have been surrounded by so much love over the course of their lives! We loaded Maria up first, and Carlos jumped right on behind her. Such smart, brave ponies! We said a tearful goodbye to Susan and Larry, promised we’d stay in touch as we made our way home, and rolled out.

Little did we know we’d be in touch a lot sooner than we expected.

About 20 minutes down the road, we were heading up over a mountain when the truck lost a lot of power and we began to overheat. It was terrifying, to say the least. We were extremely lucky that at the top of the mountain there was a scenic overlook with a wide, flat parking lot. We safely got off the highway and started making phone calls. (Important to remember that a) we were in the middle of nowhere and b) it was Palm Sunday.) We found a mechanic who we could tow the truck to but then what? We were on the side of the road with two horses, nine hours from home.

Larry to the rescue! He drove over and after weighing our options, we decided that renting a truck and getting back on the road was the best plan. We knew our truck wasn’t going to be a quick or easy fix, it was still early in the day, and the horses were being SO well behaved. We wanted to get the show back on the road!

Larry hitched his truck up to our trailer, we called AAA and left our truck in the parking lot, and started making our way towards the U-Haul truck that we reserved. That in and of itself was quite the journey. Why are U-Haul rental places always down a one-lane gravel road in some guy’s abandoned junkyard?? But we made it! Unhitched the trailer (again), and went to do the mobile check-in we were assured was possible.

Guess what? 😵‍💫

Got back on the phone with U-Haul and was able to reserve a different truck six miles away, so we hitched back up and hit the road again. It took us about an hour to go six miles (the roads and our GPS were conspiring against us at that point) but thankfully we finally made it, and that truck did indeed have mobile check-in. We unhitched from Larry’s truck, hitched up to the 16ft box truck, and then took a beat to just breathe, regroup, and let the horses rest.

Through all of this, Maria and Carlos were perfectly calm and well-behaved. They never got stressed or restless and just rolled with the punches better than some of us humans (me)! If they had started to show any signs of stress we would have called it a day and gone back to Susan and Larry’s, but they were such troopers.

We were back on the road around 2pm. The first half of the drive was through the mountains, and it was not fun with 32ft of truck and trailer. Those box trucks aren’t exactly a smooth ride on a good day, but despite having to go slow and white knuckle it she got the job done. We came over the last mountain around 10pm and from there at least the rest of the trip did not involve praying our brakes didn’t go out. We are sea-level type people! 🌊

Maria and Carlos made it to their new home around 2am on Monday, March 30. They calmly hopped off the trailer and settled right into their new paddock at the farm. There was not much that could be described as calm or settled about us humans at that point! But it didn’t matter because we were home safe and sound, and the most important thing was that Maria and Carlos were absolutely fine and no worse for wear.

Between the cost of fuel, new tires, the work we did on our truck before the trip, our lodging and meals, renting the U-Haul…this was not a cheap trip! And now we are faced with having our truck hauled back to North Carolina and then deciding on one of two very costly options - fixing it, or buying a new truck. All in a day’s work, but we could certainly use a bit of help if you are in a position to make a donation. Being prepared for emergencies and having the equipment and facilities to keep the horses and ourselves safe is critical, and it’s because of your continued support that we can do this work.

Your donation, no matter the amount, makes a huge impact: www.corollawildhorses.com/one-time-donations/

Next up - Meet Maria and Carlos and see what they’ve been up to since arriving at the farm! ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

6 hours ago

Today we have quite a story to share with you, and two new residents of the farm to introduce! It’s a long one though, so we’re breaking it down into three parts that we’ll be sharing throughout the day.

Part One 🐴

Where to even begin? Well, 500 years ago the Spanish reintroduced horses to the Americas…kidding, kidding. 😉

Let’s fast forward to 2012, when a Banker mare named Maria was removed from the wild due to lameness in a hind leg. Maria recovered from her injury and was gentled, trained under saddle and was an ambassador horse. You may have met her if you went to any Meet a Mustang events that summer. A year later in the summer of 2013, Carlos was born in the wild. At three weeks old he was orphaned and had to be taken out of the wild. Carlos was bottle-fed, but Maria became his surrogate mom for everything else.

In the fall of 2013, Maria and Carlos were adopted by Susan and Larry Sharp, and left North Carolina for their new home in Tennessee. The Sharp’s beautiful property is nestled in the Appalachian mountains, surrounded by winding creeks, old growth forests, and lots of lush, green grass. Maria and Carlos really hit the jackpot! They became beloved members of the family, and Susan and Larry took exceptional care of them. We really couldn’t ask for a better home for a horse.

However, over the last couple years Maria and Carlos became intolerant of the grass in Tennessee. The Banker horses are a hardy, thrifty breed who evolved to survive on rough forage and few calories. Grass is very high in sugar and too much of it can cause a painful, potentially fatal condition called laminitis. Managing horses who are predisposed to (or already suffering from) laminitis is extremely difficult. It requires a highly specialized, regulated diet, intensive hoof and veterinary work, and careful pasture management. These horses often end up having to live on dirt lots because they can’t tolerate any amount of grass.

Susan, Larry, their veterinarian, and their farriers went above and beyond trying to manage the horses’ diet, hoof care, and turnout time, but they reached the point where they felt like Maria and Carlos needed to live somewhere that was better suited to their specific needs. The grass on their property was far too rich, which meant the horses would have to be confined to a much smaller area with no grass. They wanted Maria and Carlos to be in a place where they could have more pasture and room to roam, and also felt like they needed to be around other horses too.

Our farm is uniquely set up to house Banker horses; it exists as a permanent sanctuary for horses like Maria and Carlos. We are so grateful to our adopters who give these special horses wonderful homes, but if for any reason they can no longer care for them we will always welcome them back. Over the last decade, more than ten horses have been returned to us who were previously adopted out. We’re proud to say that our CWHF family is filled with people who genuinely want what’s best for the horses even when it’s heartbreaking to say goodbye. Selfless hardly begins to cover it!

This gratitude extends to all of you as well, because without your continued support we could not do this work. Our farm is home to more than 20 horses, the majority of which require specialized care due to medical conditions, age, behavioral issues, and often a combination of all three. Many of them could not safely or comfortably live anywhere else.

Your support helps us cover the cost of rescues, veterinary care, training, feed and hay, pasture and facilities upkeep, vehicle maintenance, and so much more. Join our team today - every single dollar makes an incredible difference in the lives of these horses: www.corollawildhorses.com/one-time-donations/

Susan reached out at the beginning of February to let us know that she and Larry were ready to let Maria and Carlos start the next chapter of their lives, so we all began making plans to get the horses moved back to North Carolina before the spring grass came in. We had our truck fully serviced, did some much-needed front end work, and replaced a couple tires on both it and our horse trailer. We got Maria and Carlos’s paddock ready for them and then packed up everything we could think of that we might need for our 1200 mile round trip.

On Saturday, March 28 we left Grandy and headed towards the mountains of Tennessee.

Next up - our journey from the coast to the mountains and back again! Keep an eye out early this afternoon for the next post. ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 days ago

Herd dynamics are endlessly fascinating, and we can learn so much about the wild horses by observing the way they interact with each other.

Today we watched these two stallions have a conversation about territory. It’s common for different harems to peacefully share space with each other, especially when the stallions are evenly matched like these two. They have a lot in common - they’re the same age, equal in physical maturity, and have similarly sized harems. These interactions are highly choreographed, with lots of posturing but nothing that’s considered serious fighting. These stallions aren’t threatened by each other, they’re just reinforcing already established, mutually respected boundaries.

Things would be much different if a young bachelor came along and challenged one of these stallions for territory and mares. That’s when fighting becomes deadly serious.

Regardless of intent, any interaction between horses can be extremely dangerous for people. Horses use their bodies to communicate with each other, and that includes kicking and biting even when the stakes aren’t that high. This “friendly” interaction today involved lots of kicking, biting, and striking that could seriously injure or even kill a human. Things can escalate in a split second which is why it’s important to keep your distance and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

*photos taken through the binocular lens ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

We strongly second every single word of this post from our friends Foundation for Shackleford Horses. An important read for anyone who spends time around our wild horses. ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

2 weeks ago

The horses are shedding the last of their winter coats and the warm temperatures we’re seeing this week have them all very itchy!

Rolling in the sand and dirt is an important part of a horses’ natural grooming routine. It helps them shed all that loose hair, removes other debris and parasites, and helps keep their skin clean and healthy too. In the summer, mud can help with temperature regulation, insects, and UV rays. It also just feels really good to scratch the places they can’t reach themselves and stretch those neck and back muscles out.

This stallion was having a nice roll in the sand earlier this week, and we also spotted him using a tree as a scratching post. If you’ve ever met Riptide at the farm or an outreach event, this is his sire.

*photos taken through binocular lenses ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

These three bachelor stallions were sparring with each other today - spring is in the air!

It’s breeding season and stallions are vying for territory and mares. Breeding = survival, and is one of these horses’ strongest instincts. It’s deadly serious business for them and fights can escalate quickly. Please give them plenty of space and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Maybe this will be the year that one of these young stallions establishes a harem of his own! 🐎 ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 month ago

What is that green stuff on the ground?? 👀🌱 This might be the first week since November that we don’t have to put hay out for everyone because they still have plenty left from last week. A light at the end of the tunnel! ☀️

Come see the horses on the farm at our spring open house on April 18 from 9am-1pm. More info on our website: www.corollawildhorses.org ... See MoreSee Less