Corolla Wild Horse Fund

Visit the Corolla Wild Horse Fund’s Wild Horse Museum and Gift Shop.  

We are The Corolla Wild Horse Fund the non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity responsible for the care and protection of the wild Banker horses roaming the northernmost beaches of the Outer Banks.  

Our Mission is to protect, conserve and responsibly manage the herd of Corolla wild horses (Bankers) roaming freely on the northernmost Currituck Outer Banks, and to promote the continued preservation of this land as a permanent sanctuary for the horses designated as the State Horse and defined as a cultural treasure by the state of North Carolina.  

We passionately believe that we must safeguard these rare and few Banker horses as they are a link to our past, a living passage to history. They symbolize the true meaning of free spirit and magnify the beauty and uniqueness of our coastal landscape. 

We are committed to the preservation of this herd, one foal at a time. None of what we do is possible without you. We depend on your help to continue nurturing this herd so that they can thrive for generations to come. Your support is vital to the existence of the Fund. The Fund is vital to the future of the Bankers. 

We invite you to find out more about the wild Bankers of Currituck.  

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Visit Us at the Museum: Our wild horse museum, in the historic Corolla area, contains exhibits of the horses' historic arrival and cultural significance to the area dating back over 500 years. We also feature two documentaries on the wild Banker horses that run throughout the day.  Our gift shop is filled with mission-related items that will please horse lovers of all ages; all proceeds go to the care and management of the Banker horses in the wild and on our farm, where rescued Bankers have a forever home.  

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund Museum and Gift Shop is located at: 
1130-E Corolla Village Road, Corolla, NC 27927 

Our Museum and Gift Shop are open Monday- Friday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. 

Order online and shipping is available to all 50 states. Porch Pick-up is available Monday-Friday. 

See the Banker Horses up close at Mustang Mornings: Get up close. Here their stories, learn their history. Join us in the summer season, every Wednesday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at our farm, in Grandy, on the mainland. Please check our website for current Mustang Mornings dates and details. Meet the rescued Banker horses currently in our care on a self-guided walking tour where you can spend time with our staff. Attend a free movie screening of The Secret of Corolla, a 32-minute documentary on the Banker mustangs and the culture and lifestyle of the island. Engage with CWHF’s Director of Herd Management in a Q&A directly after the screening. This is a meaningful way for us to engage with our members and supporters while educating the public on the history and future of the Bankers.

What does the Corolla Wild Horse Fund do? 

Management includes monitoring herd and individual horse health; 24/7, 365 days a year emergency response and rescue; breed conservation; maintenance of an off-island rescue facility; gentling and training of horses removed from the wild as a result of life-threatening illness or injury; and scientific and veterinary research studies in partnership with organizations including NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, and UC Davis. Our support programs include public education, advocacy, habitat preservation, and children's activities. 

What motivated the group to form? Prior to 1985, the stretch of road between Duck and Corolla remained unpaved and infrequently traveled. The paved road was finished that year, and from that time until 1996, twenty horses were struck by vehicles. Paving the road allowed for major development and led to more and more contact between wild horses and humans, and their vehicles. A group of citizen-volunteers came together to try to change this tragic, destructive pattern and better protect the Bankers. 

"The Sanctuary" and the Sound-to-Sea Fence  The early founders of CWHF researched and attempted several strategies to stop horse fatalities caused by traffic on Highway 12 between Duck and Corolla. In the end, the most effective solution, although controversial, was to move the remaining twenty horses north of the paved road to the 4x4 area. No one was certain just how many wild horses were already in the unpaved area north of Corolla. By 1997, CWHF completed the southern sound-to-sea fence at the end of the hard road and the wild horses were relocated to the new "sanctuary." 

The northernmost fence is eleven miles north of the road terminus on the Virginia state line. Unfortunately for the horses, development continues to push north. Although referenced as a wild horse "sanctuary", the 7,544 acres of land accessible to the horses is actually a mix of 1/3 public land and 2/3 private land. There are 3,000+ platted lots with about 30% of the northern beaches currently developed. The beach itself is considered a road open to the public. It is the only access for residents and visitors to Swan Beach, North Swan Beach, and Carova, the growing communities north of the hard road. 

A documentary detailing the formation of the Fund and its effort to relocate the horses can be viewed in our Museum and Gift Shop in the Historic Corolla Village. 

We welcome the opportunity to speak to your group about the wild horses of Corolla who are designated as the State Horse and defined as a cultural treasure by the state of North Carolina. If you would like a representative to speak to your classroom or civic association, please email for more information (info@corollawildhorses.com). 

Help Us Keep the Horses Safe! 

View the Bankers from at least 50 feet away (Currituck County Wild Horse Ordinance) and PLEASE DO NOT FEED! It is against the law and carries a substantial fine. Moreover, feeding can be fatal. The wild horses have a very specialized diet and are only used to digesting the natural beach grasses that the land affords. Feeding puts them at risk for painful and sometimes fatal colic. Appropriately disposing and securing outdoor trash to prevent the horses from harm is critical. It is essential for your safety as well as the horses’ safety to follow all regulations. 

Please report any infractions such as feeding and harassment of the horses to Currituck County Dispatch at 252-453-3633. Thank you for your cooperation and for your support! 

HOURS  *Off-season hours may vary*

Call 252-453-8002 for current hours.

Monday 10:00AM-04:00PM

Tuesday 10:00AM-04:00PM

Wednesday 10:00AM-04:00PM

Thursday 10:00AM-04:00PM

Friday 10:00AM-04:00PM