How did the wild horses of NC get on the island that they live on now in the first place??

Question

How did the wild horses of NC get on the island that they live on now in the first place??

Answer 1

Corolla is home to about 119 wild Spanish Mustangs. The wild horses are located on horse sanctuary of 12,000 acres located north of the populated areas of Corolla. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is a public charity whose mission is to protect and preserve the herd.

Descendents of Spanish Mustangs brought to our island more than 500 years ago, they are a hardy and majestic breed.

Accounts of Spanish explorations and colonization attempts in the early 1500's state that Spanish Barb and Arabian horses were imported. One colony, d'Allyon's, describes topographical features which Lefler and Newsome (A History of North Carolina, UNC Press, 1973) believe were around Cape Fear, North Carolina. The colony failed and the Spaniards retreated to their stronger holdings in Florida. The circumstances of the retreat, manner of travel and the coastal topography offer a combination of events conducive to the establishment of feral herds along the barrier islands.

Sometimes, the horses were carried on the decks of ships and pushed overboard to swim ashore when the ships neared the shore.

I hope this answer helps. Good Luck.