COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY) — The Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF) is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian by stocking up on extra hay and water at its rescue farm, according to a recent Facebook post.
The CWHF was officially established as a nonprofit charity in 2001 with the goal of protecting the wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs that live on the north Outer Banks of North Carolina, according to the organization’s website.
Hurricane Dorian is expected to arrive in Hatteras on Friday morning, about 96 miles south of where the wild horses live in Corolla. Ahead of the hurricane’s arrival, the CWHF posted a reminder to all horse lovers on Facebook: Don’t worry about the fate of the wild horses — they’ve been surviving hurricanes for 500 years!
“The wild horses are better quipped to handle a hurricane than most of us humans living on the Outer Banks,” the organization wrote. “They go to high ground, under the sturdy live oak trees to ride the storm out.”
Despite the resilience of the wild horses, the CWHF is preparing its rescue farm for the possible impacts of Hurricane Dorian by stocking up on extra hay, grain, and water. The farm also has a generator in case it loses electricity, and the herd manager will remain site during the hurricane, according to the organization’s Facebook post.
While preparing for Hurricane Dorian, the CWHF also treated an elderly wild horse named Captain for his medical needs.
The organization first noticed Captain, an underweight mustang believed to be in his 20s, at the end of winter. Although he was thin, he acted normally, so the CWHF did not try to capture him, according to a Facebook post.
The CWHF decided to intervene in late August when they noticed Captain had developed an abscess on his face. Experts believed that the abscess was likely due to issues Captain had with his teeth. The CWHF confirmed that Captain was suffering from sharp and uneven teeth and a sinus infection this week, according to a Facebook post.
This week, the CWHF treated Captain for his teeth, which were cracked and broken, and flushed his sinus cavity out to get rid of the infection. He is on antibiotics and recovering, and was recently given the clearance to go back outside.
“All in all, it was a pretty great day for this little old guy,” the CWHF wrote on its Facebook page.