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Wild
Horses of Corolla
In
the past these wild horses have roamed
freely around Corolla and much of Currituck
Banks north of Southern Shores. Before
N.C. Hwy. 12 was
extended from Southern Shores north to
Corolla, this village and its lighthouse
were more remote than the northernmost
reaches of Currituck
Banks around Carova are today. Like Carova
and the other northern beach communities
of today, Corolla was then reached only
by boat or by driving up the
beach for many miles. But now there are
paved roads and thousands of homes on Currituck
Banks north of Southern Shores, up to Corolla.
It
was this explosion of population and traffic
which eventually forced the wild horses
north, for their own safety, into a protected
area away
from highways and speeding cars.
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| Sunrise
illuminates the fence at Corolla that stretches into the ocean. |
Just
north of Corolla, where Hwy. 12 ends in a 4WD ramp onto the beach, there
is a fence that stretches from the ocean to the sound. Its purpose is
to keep the horses from wandering south onto the roads where they, like
wayward deer, could be hit by cars. North of this fence only 4WD vehicles
can make it up the beach past wildlife reserves to reach the communities
of homes that have spread northward to the Virginia state line. It is
here, around Swan Beach at Penny's Hill, and North Swan Beach, and Carova
that these wild horses continue to run free. The herd is now being managed
with a plan to limit their number to about 60 horses.
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| These
horses may be seen roaming freely along the dirt roads, on
the beach, or in people's yards. It's easy to drive right past
them foraging in the trees and not even notice them. |
 
It
is not so difficult to see the wild horses for yourself, if you have
a 4WD. If not, there is always a very small chance some might be spotted
near the fence on the beach north of Corolla, just at the end of Hwy.
12. But on any given day that chance is very slim. Another option is
to take one of the off-road guided tours available to get you up the
beach to see some of these wild horses.
The best bet, though, is to take a 4WD and go yourself.
If you know where to look, there is a very good chance you will see at
least one group of 3 to 5 horses. The farther north you go, the more
likely you will see some on the beach, or grazing on the dunes in view
of the beach. If you don't see them on the beach, you will need to go
exploring on the back roads. These roads are strictly dirt and sand.
Although many sections of these roads are well packed dirt, and can easily
be driven in 2-wheel drive, they can change to deep sand at any point.
There
are no ditches here, so large, very large,
puddles abound. Judicious caution should
be used when traveling these roads. Usually
there is a
sandy path around the worst of the puddles,
worn to one side of the road or the other
to bypass the water. Depending upon how
much rain has fallen
in recent days, the puddles may be quite
easily driven through, but they might also
be deep enough to drown out the engine.
It's wise to err on
the side of caution.
The
driver of the big SUV in this photo was not so prudent and quickly succumbed
to the hidden danger
of the large puddles you can find on the sand and dirt roads around Carova. One
puddle can be six inches deep, and the very next one can be two or three feet deep.
You cannot tell by just looking. If you see someone else drive through safely, you
could chance following their path, but only if you have a real 4WD off-road vehicle.
Otherwise, the best advice is "don't try it."
Driving
these roads and looking for these wonderful wild horses
can be a real adventure. But keep in mind that
though these are "public" roads for the most part,
some are not. The public roads and the private roads
all look the same here, so you need to be mindful of
signs indicating private drives and roads. Respect
the local residents postings indicating private areas.
There is room enough for hours of exploring the public
paths without trespassing.
Drive slowly, and take time to
look carefully down side roads at each intersection to watch for horses in the distance.
Keeping an eye out for horse droppings along the roads will clue you in to where
they have been recently. This kind of attention to detail will give you the best
chance of spotting the horses. It's mostly common sense. If you're in a hurry, you
simply don't need to be wandering around on these winding back roads. Besides, many
of these "roads" are one-lane paths, and you may go around a curve to find another
vehicle coming the other way. So take it slowly. Patience and vigilance will most
likely reward you with several opportunities to watch these horses in the wild. |
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Tips on finding the horses,
and what to expect going up the beach to Carova are next. Then there
is the "Wild Horse Gallery", with many great photos.
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