Archive for the ‘Wild horses’ Category
Outer Banks Wild Horses and their legacy are intertwined with myth, history, and the tale which has been passed down through generations. Banker ponies are descendents of Arabian horses which populated Arabia 400 years ago; these horses were bred with the sturdy stock of Spain and the Barb breed was born.
Some say the population of horses on the outer banks islands came to be from the horses brought over with the Spaniards and turned loose to roam and fend for themselves. Others believe the horses were survivors of shipwrecks. According to research done by the Hakluyt Society, Sir Richard Grenville bought livestock – including Spanish horses – and his ship the “Tiger” ran aground on Ocracoke in 1565. Are the horses descended from Grenville’s herd?
It is known that DNA has shown that the Outer Banks Wild Horses trace their descent from Spanish Mustangs. Although the Outer Banks Wild Horses roamed the island for years, they are now protected by being confined. Today, you can see Ocracoke’s Banker ponies at
the National Park Service Pony Pen, a 160-acre pasture about 6 miles south of the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry docks. And a final sanctuary has been established at Shackelford Banks. There the small 14 hand horses can be found playing and grazing on the nine mile long barrier island just east of Morehead City and Beaufort.
No matter how they arrived, they have established themselves as a National Treasure, shaped by the outer banks life of sand, wind and ocean spray. They are a hearty breed just as the people of the islands.