CAROVA, N.C. — The northern Outer Banks is full of wide open space, specifically in Carova, where people are able to drive onto the four-wheel drive area and enjoy the beach. It's also been home to the wild horses for generations. Each summer, we see and hear stories about horses being struck, many times dying from their injuries, this summer is no different.
“We've had a pair of instances this summer with horses being hit. One of them was killed, and one was a hit and run," said Chris Winter, president and CEO of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.
For Corolla Wild Horse Fund President and CEO Chris Winter, receiving the call about a horse being hit is never easy.
“It's really tough. As soon as I hear that ding in the middle of the night, I have a pretty good idea of what the situation is.”
Winter shares they have seen a decrease over the years of interactions like people approaching or feeding the wild horses. But what’s increased is incidents involving vehicles.
“While we have also seen a general decrease in negative human horse interactions regarding feeding the horses, getting too close to the horses, we feel like we're seeing improvement there. Over the past couple of years, we have seen an increase in vehicle incidents with horses.”
The most frustrating instances for Winter and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund being when people are breaking the law.
“That's what's really been most difficult about these past two summers. These weren't accidents where a horse runs in front of a car that is going the speed limit, that is doing everything right, and that has happened in the past, and it will happen again, and those are accidents that we know will happen. When you're dealing with drunk driving, when you're dealing with speeding, it doesn't have that. That's where the frustration really, really piles up.”
Winter feels the solutions start with people taking responsibility and understanding their actions have consequences.
“The first thing is personal responsibility, and that is true of local residents, that's true of tourists, it's true of anybody who drives up there. It starts there.”
He also feels having an increased law enforcement presence on the Four-Wheel Drive beach can be a step in the right direction as well.
"An increased law enforcement presence makes a significant difference, just having that presence up there. We have an ongoing conversation with Currituck County regarding that. Obviously, they don't want to see this happen (horses being hit). They want to try to figure out how best to protect not only the horses, but protect people up there. It's a continuing challenge that I know everybody's trying to solve."
At the end of the day this is home for the wild horses and each and every person should think about that before stepping on the beach.
“We want these horses to be here, not only today/tomorrow, but for generations into the future, because they are such an integral part of the history of the Outer Banks, the history of North Carolina. They are cultural icons. It's on all of us to figure out every possible solution, to make sure this extraordinarily unique resource, these banker horses, exist on into the future.”
