The Wild Horses of Shackleford Banks in the Southern Outer Banks, Crystal Coast near Atlantic Beach and Beaufort, NC: Q&A
Q: Are they ponies or horses?
A: They are small and powerful horses. When fully grown, they range in height from 11 to 13 hands (a hand = 4”).
• They are genetically closer to the other Atlantic coast wild horses in the Outer Banks than to domestic breeds such as Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds.
Q: Where did the wild horses come from?
A: The legends about horses swimming ashore from sinking ships are not proven. There were shipwrecks along the coast and the horses are recognized as Colonial Spanish Mustangs.
• Early European explorers brought horses and colonists/settlers bred horses.
• Overland traders and colonists moved south through the area and met Chickasaw Indians on horses.
• Two recorded events link horses to our barrier islands: Sir Richard Grenville landing on June 21-26, 1585; and DeAyllon landing on Cape Feare in the 1520s. Historic Department of the Interior maps shows Cape Lookout had been called Cape Feare.
Q: How long have the wild horses been on Shackleford Banks?
A: For well over 4 centuries, long enough to adapt to the challenging environment.
Q: How many wild horses are on Shackleford Banks?
A: The population is managed by the U.S. National Park Service between 110 and 130 horses. All boat tour companies must have an NPS permit to legally and safely take you to the island. At the end of 2023, there were 124 wild horses.
Q: Do they need fresh water, or have they evolved to drink saltwater?
A: Just like all mammals, the wild horses of Shackleford Banks do not drink brackish or saltwater, they require fresh water!
• Freshwater is found under this barrier island, deep lenses that fill ponds, lenses that fill surface pools, seeps, and digs.
• HINT, if it looks like the horses are drinking salt water, they are probably either eating grasses that grow under the saltwater or sipping fresh water off the top of quiet saltwater. If it is low tide at Shackleford, Captain Mark can take you to a secret place within a short hike where a herd goes to drink!
Q: What do the wild horses of Shackleford eat?
A: What do the wild horses on Shackleford Banks eat? Results of plant selection and consumption are shown to the right. In the fall, sea oats, centipede grass, and smooth cordgrass made up 78% of the horse’s diet. In the winter, centipede grass consumption increased slightly, consumption of sea oats decreased by half, consumption of smooth cordgrass decreased by two-thirds, while the overall variety of plants consumed increased. The increased variety consumed in winter could be due to decreased growth and/or palatability among the plants chosen in other seasons.
In the spring, centipede consumption dropped by three-quarters in favor of increased sea oats, smooth cordgrass, and pennywort. In the summer, sea oats, centipede, and smooth cordgrass made up 64.3% of the horse’s diet with other plants making up the difference. Saltmeadow cordgrass consumption was fairly consistent across the four seasons.
Pennywort is a significant component (10%) of the diet in the spring; winter consumption is about half of spring consumption, while summer and fall consumption is very low. Interestingly, glasswort is eaten along with alterniflora, but at a low percentage and only in winter and spring.
Smooth cordgrass had the highest nutrient density with respect to digestible energy, crude protein, and calcium for all four seasons.
Please note: Supplemental feeding is not necessary and can be dangerous to the horses. So please do not feed the wild horses!
Best of all to watch these horses in the wild is both a blessing and a gift. Although there is never a guarantee that you will see them, H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions, which departs from Atlantic Beach, NC will take you on two different areas spanning the width of Shackleford Banks for a greater opportunity.