The origins of the Wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs date back nearly 500 years, making them the earliest settlers of the Outer Banks, and some of the earliest residents, second only to the local Native American tribes. The Outer Banks has always been revered as just a little bit wild but steeped in history, and a glimpse of the wild horses will certainly make this reputation come to life. If exploring the wild roots of the Outer Banks is on your vacation agenda, then schedule a wild horse tour or simply take a long drive or two along the beaches of Carova, and see if you can discover these original natives on your own. It's no wonder that popular fiction and movies, such as the recent release of "Nights In Rodanthe" has romanticized their presence, and why so many vacationers fall in love with the wild horses and make a visit to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund every year to find out how they can help. Added to this is the romantic idea of a beach vacation that's truly wild, with mustangs who travel up and down the Carova beaches with ease and absolute abandon. The Corolla Wild Horses have been a draw to vacationers for decades, as their mystique and centuries old legacy is simply unmatched on the local OBX coastline. ![]() Be sure and check online or call your favorite tour company in advance of your vacation to find specific prices and available dates. Last minute tours are occasionally available for small parties, however, or for folks travelling to the Outer Banks in the shoulder season months. Highly-rated tour companies like Wild Horse Adventure Tours recommended reservations, especially in the summer season months of June, July and August when Corolla's tourism and population is at its highest. Once the tour encounters a small pack or an individual wild horse, photos are all but required, and are sure to be a treasured acquisition from your Outer Banks vacation. Offered seasonally, tour goers are encouraged to bring plenty of sunscreen, extra water for the excursion, and of course, a camera. Along the way, the tour may stray away from the oceanfront to wooded neighborhood or public sandy paths where the horses are known to flourish. Participants ride in comfort with enough seating so that all tour goers can simply climb aboard, sit back, take photos and learn from an experienced guide.Ĭorolla Wild Horse Tours generally last two hours, and explore the northern Outer Banks beaches from the outskirts of Corolla all the way to the Virginia State Line located on the very edge of the Currituck Beaches. Most horse tours are conducted in a customized 4x4 off-road vehicle. These tours are administered seasonally by both the Corolla Wild Horse Fund and privately run businesses like Wild Horse Adventure Tours that specialize in bringing visitors to the wild horses' favorite stomping grounds, increasing a vacationer's chances of spotting one of these somewhat elusive local legends. On your next vacation, consider a day trip to the northern beaches of Carova to catch a glimpse of the wild horses, and remember to always keep your eyes peeled - the Corolla Wild Horses may very well be enjoying a nice beach day just around the corner.įor those who want a better chance at spotting the horses in their natural habitat, consider a Corolla Wild Horse tour. That said, admiring the horses from a distance is its own reward, and the photos that can be snapped of a small herd wandering along the ocean wash, or grazing lightly in the sand dunes, are easily the most treasured souvenirs of any Outer Banks vacation for lucky Carova visitors who just happen to cross their path. Fruits and vegetables can cause serious injury or even death to the horse. ![]() Wild horses have a very different diet from domesticated animals. It is illegal (and dangerous) to approach within 50 feet of the horses. ![]() Visitors are reminded that the Wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs are, in fact, wild. Obviously, vacationers won't be able to expect to ride the horses, or come close enough for a pet on the neck. It's because of this desolation, coupled with the help from the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, that the wild horses are able to thrive, relatively undisturbed by the limited development that has sprung up around them over the past 50 years. Stranded on the Outer Banks for centuries, but still enjoying the laid-back beach lifestyle, these feral and wild creatures are tolerant of the visitors who visit their beaches for the warm sun, cool waves, and miles of space. Visitors to the 4WD accessible beaches just north of Carova may experience a truly remarkable encounter with the area's oldest and most beloved residents, the Wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs.
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