OUTER BANKS, N.C. (WAVY) – The Corolla Wild Horse Fund announced that vets had to euthanize a 6-week-old filly Thursday night.
According to a Facebook post from the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, 6-week-old Ceres was euthanized due to a severe case of pythiosis. Ceres was in the same harem as another wild horse, June, who is currently being treated for the same infection at North Carolina State University.
Staff found Ceres on September 12 around 8 a.m. with a lesion that had developed on the top of the coronary band of her right front hoof. Vets confirmed that it was most likely pythiosis and the organization was preparing to send her to an animal hospital in Raleigh when the horses disappeared.
Photo Courtesy: Corolla Wild Horse Fund 
Photo Courtesy: Corolla Wild Horse Fund
Staff finally located Ceres again on Tuesday, September 20 in the deep woods. Staff members were not able to get to her and the rest of the horses, but they did see that Ceres was up and able to move.
The horses finally came out of the deep woods on September 22 and the staff was able to trap the horses and sedate and safely move Ceres to the rescue farm.
Unfortunately Ceres’ was in a lot of pain and the damage to her hoof and the bones in her lower leg was irreparable.
Ceres was laid to rest late Thursday night next to the mares’ pasture so she will always have her aunts looking over her, says CWHF.