Our trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina was a pretty fun filled trip. The one thing I wanted to do was to go see the wild horses that roam the beaches and sand dunes in the Corolla area. The area where the horses roam is often referred to as Carova. It is composed of a few neighborhoods North of NC 12 in Corolla which is accessible only by 4×4 vehicles.

Our first trip to see the wild horses was facilitated by the tour company Wild Horse Adventure Tours. Today I will share some of the pictures from that day and trip with another post coming next week sharing our day spent with our new friends Dianna and JR Keen.

I signed up earlier on line and even found a coupon to use to take $10 off each of our admissions so that was great. The tour group uses open air modified Hummers to take their clients and the 6 of us had great seats towards the back of the vehicle and our guide Mike did a great job of getting us to the beach to see the horses.



The horses are referred to as “Bankers” and are wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs that have a long history dating back to the 1500’s. They are proof of their ability to adapt to living on the beaches and dunes and Maritime forests . Add to that that they are beautiful creatures and this is a trip that I would recommend to anyone who visits this area.



There are a lot of tour groups that can be used to tour the beach and Carova area plus folks with 4 by 4 vehicles can also drive the beach. Permits are needed at some times so make sure to check local information before you go and also make sure to adhere to the rules and regulations such as staying at least 50 feet away from the horses as well as refraining from feeding them. A great source of information is available through the group that protects them and a previous Comments for a Cause recipient – –Corolla Wild Horse Fund.



I ended up with some fairly good pictures despite the fact that I left my camera at home. We were about an hour out of town when I realized it but I decided that whatever I captured on my phone would have to do and I am happy with some of the ones I got even if I couldn’t get close ups like I could have with a better camera. If you want to see some really great pictures just stop on over to These Days of Mine and check out all of Dianna’s pictures. She has amazing photography skills and really has some great shots.

Come back tomorrow to see more pictures that we took when we were on Day Two of our wild horse tour –this one was longer and much better because it was with friends. Thanks for stopping by and remember to Comment for a Cause for The Wounded Warrior Project.
20 Comments
Leave a commentAw, I was just delighted that you and your family were able to make a trip to see the horses! (AND that we were able to meet you & Chris in person, finally!) Love the picture of you and your family getting ready to leave on your tour. I’m also glad that you were able to see one of the babies. That’s always a thrill for me! Thank you for sharing the link to my blog, and again, thank you for bringing attention to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. As you know, they do so much for those beautiful horses. I look forward to your next post!
We had such a great trip and vacation and we loved being able to finally see the horses. And our meet up with you and JR was so much fun! We are still talking about our time with you guys. Seeing the babies was really fun and our guide was so good at making sure we all had the chance to see the horses from all angles so that helped even if I did forget my camera. I took a lot of mental pictures. 🙂
I really wanted to see your photos! Thank you! They look so pretty by the water.
They are lovely pictures, Beth Ann! Can’t believe you shot them with a phone! I especially like the very first shot. It has a lovely look to it. The long legs of that foal! Nice the whole family got to enjoy the trip. Here is a “Comment for a Cause”… Wounded Warriors are dear to us.
Yay! I hit comment and it just went up in the air!
I had to approve it..😊
THese are great pictures. Love the baby of course. Growing up around horses, I love seeing them, especially in the wild. I saw some in the mountains in the North of Spain. I was so excited I didn’t take any pictures!
I wouldn’t have minded if I had not gotten any pictures because I made a lot of mental pictures. They are amazing!
Soooo happy that you got to see the little foal right there on the beach!!! What a treat!! You got some lovely photos even with your cell phone. Isn’t this place just magical?
It IS magical!
You captured some great photos even though you left your camera at home. So very great that your family got to take this tour with you. <3
That was the one thing I told them I wanted to do with them and they all loved the idea! We did have a great time.
What a memorable excursion to see such graceful horses living free.
It is a truly amazing place and such beauty all around. The horses are magnificent and the people that tend to their health are so dedicated. Truly wonderful. Thanks for stopping by!
Lovely picture of your family. The horse’s are pretty, they look healthy.
The horses are very well looked after (from a distance) by the group that supports and manages the herd. When humans need to intervene they do but they really try to keep it to a bare minimum.
Love that you were so close! If you ever make it to SOBX let me know. I’d love to meet you in person!
Will do! I forgot you were in that area as well! Thanks for stopping by!
[…] Yesterday I shared a few photos of our Outer Banks Trip to see the wild horses that roam the Corolla and Carova area beaches. I saved the best trip for the second post and that was our trip when we met up with Dianna and JR Keen. Dianna blogs at These Days of Mine, is a fabulous photographer and may just be a little bit crazy over these wild horses. She and her husband can frequently be seen driving the beach and residential areas of Carova looking for “their” horses. […]
[…] recent trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina proved to be a trip to see lighthouses as well as wild horses. There are three lighthouses that were easy to get to during this trip so we made it a priority to […]