One of the northern Outer Banks wild mustangs, mother to the second foal born this year, was killed overnight after apparently running head-first into unmarked guy-wire.
Herd manager Meg Puckett received a call about a horse tangled in wire at 6 a.m. Saturday. Caretakers found the mare had died instantly after running into the wire while the horses were chasing each other, said the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.
“She has been respectfully buried in a secluded spot not far from where she died,” the fund said in a Facebook post.
Her foal, Rosie, was the second horse born to the herd this year. The CWHF says Rosie is old enough to survive without her mother’s milk. The fund hopes to leave her on the beach “to give this girl a chance at carrying on her mother’s legacy in the wild.”
“We brought the trailer up just in case we needed to rescue/remove her, but after observing her with the rest of the harem we decided to leave Rosie on the beach for now,” the CWHF said. “She is grazing and drinking water, and the other mares in the harem are incredibly attentive and protective.”
The fund said there was no human involvement in the accident, but they will call the power company Monday “to discuss having all of the power poles checked and markers put on any bare guy-wires.”
The mustang’s death is the second this summer among the herd. In June, a horse removed from the beach had to be euthanized following a devastating shoulder injury.
The CWHF manages the herd of about 100 wild mustangs roaming the four-wheel-drive beaches and a rescue farm of about 17 horses.
Related stories:
- Rosie, second foal of the season, born to Outer Banks wild mustangs
- UPDATED: Wild horse’s injury insurmountable
