Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 days ago

If you’ve visited the farm lately you’ve probably noticed the truck door hanging on the front of the barn. Her name was Salty. When her engine finally blew a few years ago (she was held together with duct tape and baling twine but she got the job done!) we took the door off before calling the scrap man. She was a part of our team and she saved a lot of horses; we couldn’t send all of her off to the junkyard!

Our vehicles are a critically important part of the work that we do.

CWHF has a fleet of SUVs that are on the beach 7 days a week as our staff monitors the herd, collects data, and responds to emergencies. There is tremendous wear and tear on these trucks due to the harsh environment and rough driving conditions; their lifespan is usually about three years. It’s imperative that these vehicles are reliable, safe, and in good working order. Without them, our field work would not be possible.

In addition to these SUVs, we have a heavy duty pickup that is used to haul the trailer up and down the beach for emergencies, two horse trailers, and a tractor at the farm. Something is constantly needing work, inspection, fueling up, new tires…the list goes on! Vehicle maintenance is a full-time job around here but it’s important that we stay on top of things so we are always ready to roll and respond to whatever comes up.

A membership at the $500 level will help fuel our fleet for a week during the summer season. It will allow us to gas up our trucks and get out on the beach to protect and monitor the herd and educate visitors. It will get Riptide to Duck and Nags Head for outreach events that expose new people to the horses and our mission. It will keep our tractor running so that we can feed the horses at the rescue farm.

Your sustaining support is what makes this work possible! Get involved today: www.corollawildhorses.com/memberships/ ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

5 days ago

Happy Mother’s Day 💕💐 ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

For our membership drive this year we are highlighting some of the many ways your donations support the work that we do. We talk regularly about boots-on-the-ground herd management, both in the wild and at the farm, but there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make all of it possible. There are lots of moving parts!

We always say that the more we know about the horses, the better equipped we are to properly manage and protect them. This is true for the public too! We can’t expect people to be invested in the horses’ future without an understanding as to why our work is so important, and why the horses are worth saving.

Education takes many forms - farm open houses, outreach with rescued horses, talks and lectures, workshops for tour drivers, social media and PSAs, school programming, signs, fridge magnets, and so much more. We believe that education should be free and widely available, which is where your ongoing support comes in. Your donations, memberships, and sponsorships allow us to continuously expand our education and advocacy efforts in new and exciting ways.

From signs and billboards to feeding our ambassador horses at the farm, your contributions make a huge impact! Become a member today and you’ll also have the opportunity to make an additional donation to receive the first ever CWHF member t-shirt: www.corollawildhorses.com/memberships/

One of the most visible aspects of our public education efforts are the many signs around Corolla and the 4x4 alerting people to the rules and regulations regarding the horses. Many of these signs were made possible due to partnerships with other folks in our community (like the awesome signs on top of the gas pumps you see in this photo!) but CWHF also provides signs and other educational materials to property owners free of charge.

After we lost a yearling colt to choking on an apple in 2020 we designed and ordered hundreds of yard signs that were distributed and placed around the 4x4. We spend about $1000 every year on these signs, replacing those that are damaged or missing, and providing them to any new residents and property owners who may want them. These signs have made a huge difference; we receive far fewer reports of people petting or feeding horses than we did prior to 2020, and the sheriff’s department has noticed a difference as well. “I didn’t know!” is not an excuse anymore, and these signs help deputies enforce their “no tolerance” policy.

Imagine the impact your support will have if you join us at the $1000 membership level! Every single one of those signs would be tangible proof of your love for the wild Bankers of Corolla.

www.corollawildhorses.com/memberships/ ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

1 week ago

Greetings everyone! I am thrilled to announce the launch of our 2026 Membership Drive and invite you to join our very special mission here at the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

As a member of the CWHF, you play a central role in the delivery of our mission to protect and preserve the wild Banker horses. Your membership directly fuels programs across our mission – at the farm, on the beach, education, and more – and will truly make a lasting difference. If you’ve already joined as a member, know that we are grateful for your support and have something exciting to share with you too!

Join today: www.corollawildhorses.com/memberships/

Over the course of the next several weeks, watch your email and Facebook/Instagram feeds. We will be sharing the precise impact that can be had at each membership level.

For those of you who decide to become members (or are already a member in 2026), we have something very special and unique for you. Every member will have the opportunity to make an additional donation and receive an exclusive 2026 Corolla Wild Horse Fund Member t-shirt, designed for us by local OBX artist One Groovy Gal. These shirts will not be sold in our retail outlets or online - they are available only to members. Let the world know that you are a member of the herd!

You can join as a new member or renew your membership for 2026 to receive your exclusive link to purchase your t-shirt; the link will be provided in your email confirmation following your membership donation. If you have already made your membership donation for 2026, you should have already received an email with the link.

Questions? Please reach out to us via email at info@corollawildhorses.com or call our office during business hours at 252-453-8002.

Together, we are able to accomplish even more. Thank you for believing in our work and for your passionate support of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

Sincerely,
Chris Winter
CWHF President and CEO ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund is feeling frustrated.

3 weeks ago

This week has been rough due to biting flies and a west wind driving the horses out of more secluded areas and onto the beach. This unfortunately draws quite a crowd, especially near the southern barrier fence. We’ve been struggling to keep horses and people safe the last few days, and meeting quite a lot of resistance from folks who are walking onto the 4x4 beach from Corolla.

You must stay at least 50ft away from the horses at all times, but it also goes against the ordinance to “subject to conditions detrimental to its health or general welfare any wild horse within a wild horse sanctuary.” Crowding, pressuring, and following horses on the beach in these conditions is detrimental to their health and welfare, regardless of how far away from them you are.

If our staff asks you to move away and give the horses more space, they are doing so not just to keep the horses safe, but to keep you safe too. Walking amongst these horses with no way to protect yourself is incredibly dangerous. The horses are already irritated due to the flies, they are extremely protective of their foals, and it’s breeding season. You have no way to know that there isn’t a rival stallion just on the other side of the dunes, and in a split second you could end up in the middle of a fight with nowhere to go.

Becoming belligerent and cursing at our staff on top of pestering the living snot out of these horses is a surefire way to get the cops called on you. We won’t tolerate it and neither will the sheriff’s department. Citations have been issued.

We know that the majority of people who read our posts and follow us on social media aren’t the ones out there behaving like this, but this is the best way for us to get the word out. Please share if you are a member of any relevant OBX groups, tell your friends and family who may be coming to visit, and please immediately call 252-453-3633 to report infractions and dangerous behavior. ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

A week from today! Tickets are limited and going fast so get yours ASAP!The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is thrilled to announce a very special one-time premier event at The Pioneer Theater Manteo, NC to celebrate the upcoming release of a short form documentary: From the Sound to the Sea.

Tickets: thepioneertheater.com/event/from-the-sound-to-the-sea/the-pioneer-theater/

The premiere will take place at 7pm on Friday, May 1 at The Pioneer Theater and will include a showing of the film and a panel discussion featuring Chris Winter (CEO of the CWHF), Meg Puckett (Director of Herd Management) and the filmmakers from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Tickets to the event are now available, and a portion of every ticket will go to support the work of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

In addition, from 4pm-7pm, CWHF staff will be hosting a table at the Vendor Fair at the Pioneer Theater as part of Manteo’s First Friday celebration. Stop by to meet staff, ask questions, learn more about our mission and even purchase CWHF logo merchandise!

🌀

About the documentary: This documentary follows the Corolla Wild Horse Fund as they battle rising tourism and mounting social pressures to protect the last remaining wild horses of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Set against the broader clash between development and wilderness, the film reveals the urgent choices facing a community torn between preservation and progress, capturing the voices of conservationists, local tour guides, and hospitality staff/owners as they struggle to shape the future of this fragile coastline. ... See MoreSee Less

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

3 weeks ago

We’d like to thank everyone who made a donation towards Maria and Carlos’s move back to North Carolina - we are extremely grateful! If you missed their story, you can read it here:

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

Part Two: www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ckbgtp2z9/

Part Three: www.facebook.com/share/p/1Fxs94ZJeL/

Our farm provides a permanent sanctuary for more than 20 formerly-wild Banker horses like Maria and Carlos, and we couldn’t do it without you! Your support helps cover the costs of emergency response, veterinary care, training, hay and feed, equipment and facilities maintenance, and so much more. Get involved today: www.corollawildhorses.com/support-corolla-wild-horse-fund/

If you’d like to learn more out our farm - the Betsy Dowdy Equine Center - check out this video (featuring Maria and Carlos!): youtu.be/37HdeKqTs5o?si=TfTGD-DVoRtgEjo7

And don’t forget, our weekly open houses begin May 27 and run all summer long! Get up close and personal with these special horses and chat with our staff about how we care for both the wild herd and the herd on the farm. More info: www.facebook.com/events/1609189436954736/ ... See MoreSee Less