Wild horse of the Outer Banks dies after being tangled in wire fencing

Tragically, the herd suffered a very preventable loss on Friday when a 10-year-old stallion died of heat stroke after being tangled in wire, according to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

Posted 3:32 p.m. Aug 28, 2021 — Updated 5:41 p.m. Aug 28, 2021

Heather Leah

, WRAL multiplatform producer

COROLLA, N.C. — North Carolina's Outer Banks are known for the wild horses that have roamed there for nearly 500 years. Even as towns and villages have been washed away, especially prior to the 1700s, these wild horses have been there – surviving hurricanes and storm surges for centuries.

Tragically, the herd suffered a very preventable loss on Friday when a 10-year-old stallion died of heat stroke after being tangled in wire, according to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

A person working nearby found the wild horse, whose name is Hurricane, tangled in wire that had been used for fencing. Staff from the Corolla Wild Horse fund rushed to the scene, where they were able to free Hurricane.

Outer Banks' wild horses know how to survive a hurricane

There seemed to be a moment of hope, as the horse stood up and walked away with only mild injuries to his leg.

However, as they tracked Hurricane's movements down the beach to ensure his recovery, they watched him collapse into the sand on the foreshore. He was no longer able to stand.

A team gathered Hurricane into a trailer and rushed him to their rescue farm to be seen by a vet, according to a post on their Facebook page.

Corolla welcomes sixth wild horse foal born along NC's Outer Banks in 2021

"He was displaying neurological symptoms and could not stand, or even lay with his head upright. We spent several hours trying to get Hurricane to stand back up. He was administered IV fluids, steroids, and an anti-inflammatory, but despite our best efforts we couldn't get him to respond to any of this, or any other stimuli or efforts to get him to stand," they wrote on their page.

Sadly, by 6 p.m., around 8 hours after he was found tangled up, he went into organ failure. The vet determined he had gone into heat stroke from struggling and stressing after being tangled in the wire for at least several hours.

The team made the call to humanely euthanize him and end his suffering.

Corolla Wild Horse Fund is using the tragic, preventable loss as an opportunity to save future horses' lives by asking property owners to check their yards for anything that could be dangerous for the wild horses.

"Any kind of wire is an extreme danger to the horses, and not suitable fencing material. Pallets, sand fencing that's falling down, loose ropes, barriers and gates that are in poor repair, rusted and broken car and boat parts are all hazardous to the horses' safety," they wrote.

This isn't the first time a horse has become tangled in wire, but with the help of the surrounding community. Only one month prior to this, a horse almost died after choking on trash. But, if the community pulls together, hopefully Hurricane can be remembered as the last horse to ever face this kind of tragedy.

If the wild horses can survive hurricanes, they shouldn't have to try and survive litter and trash.

Corolla Wild Horse Fund works to protect and preserve the wild horses of North Carolina's Outer Banks. You can donate in Hurricane's honor on their website.

"Rest free, Hurricane," they wrote.

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