SOURCE: MAILonline
A herd of majestic wild horses appear to race against each other as they gallop freely through the shallow waters of the Crystal Coast.
Captured by 39-year-old photographer Brad Styron, the horses are part of an isolated herd which roams across the Shackleford Banks in North Carolina.
They have free run of the small uninhabited nine-mile long by one-mile wide island, which lies at the southern end of Cape Lookout National Seashore.
Majestic: A pack of wild horses kick up spray as they gallop through the shallow waters at Shackleford Banks in North Carolina
Wild and free: They have free run of the small uninhabited nine-mile long by one-mile wide island, which lies at the southern end of Cape Lookout National Seashore
Isolated: The scenes were captured by photographer Brad Styron, who first flew over the area in a helicopter then approached the herd on foot to less than 50ft away
Despite their majestic appearance, they are often mistakenly referred to as ponies with adults reaching an average height of just 12 hands (four feet at the withers).
Between 110 to 130 horses make up the wild herd, kept under control with occasional adoption enforced by the Foundation for Shackleford Horses in cooperation with the Park Service.
Wild at heart: Between 110 to 130 horses make up the wild herd, kept under control with occasional adoption enforced by the Foundation for Shackleford Horses
Time for a rest: The animals are thought to be descended from Spanish mustangs first brought to the Carolina coast by explorers in the early 1500s
Survivors: Left behind or turned loose from shipwrecks they have survived in the harsh and unforgiving environment for almost half a millennium
The animals are thought to be descended from Spanish mustangs first brought to the Carolina coast by explorers in the early 1500s.
Left behind or turned loose from shipwrecks they have survived in the harsh and unforgiving environment for almost half a millennium.
They are now one of the few remaining wild horse herds in the eastern United States.
Despite a mixed bloodline, they still clearly carry the tenacious traits of their wild Spanish Mustang roots and have become a legacy of the Crystal Coast.
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The BLM need to talk to these people on how they have managed the herd of horses, keep the numbers down and allow them to run and be free on their own land.
Take my hat off to them, good job , the horse still live wild, they came here in 1500’s by ship, some turned lose and some swam to shore off of sinking ships, it is a harsh envirement they live in but Mother nature has allowed them to live here all this time .With out peole trying to run them and put them in jail, they are use to people and just do their own thing, from time to time they are culled and sold to keep the numbers down.
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There is Nothing more Beautiful in this world then the sight of Mustangs Running FREE, nothing better to sooth the soul, calm the mind , and warm the heart and bring inspiration to all who view them, they fill the mind and bring thoughts and emotions of History they were so much a driving wonderful force of……… They were also a huge part of bringing people together to create the vision of Freedom like nothing else…………………To the Mustangs we owe so very much , they continue to give to us because its all they know …….Its is time for everyone of us to insure their Freedom no matter what it takes !!!!!!! God and mother nature Thank You for the Gift of love The Wild Mustangs………………………………
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Cool pictures. Another good example how the local wild horse people and a State agency collaborate to manage wild horses. Thats a healthy herd size considering the size of the island and it would be interesting to know the particulars of the ecosystem that supports it – I guess hurricanes (and maybe sharks) might be the only deterrents to survival ? 🙂
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Incredible pictures which truly capture the grace, power and beauty of our wild horses. It’s such a joy to see how they manage to survive, in their own habitat, with very little interference. Thank you RT, for sharing in another “Feel Good Sunday”. (-:
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Unbelievably beautiful. They almost don’t look real. What a wondorous treasure.
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Wonderful to see they are not targeted for Roundup….Thanks for sharing!!!……
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they really are beautiful . did ya’ll see the yahoo story about the spanard reserve wild horses re- introduced ,bunches of idiots commenting on there ,had to get off before i got into trouble, great story, rt.
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Saw the article & yes, the commenters had NO clue! Wonder if the current BLMers
ever read anything other than their own words…
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Just amazingly beautiful, thank you!
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How cool!!!! Keep the blm away from the area or they will find a way to put cattle there. Some people love the horses deeply and care about their welfare. The blm in the western states doesnt give a rats butt about their care or welfare. Its the good old boys mentality of a million years as go. Could be considered another vacation area.
I love to see them running so freely on the beach. It makes you want picture yourself riding bareback with your mane flying in the breeze. Too cool for words!
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