What is it about horses that spurs our imagination and speaks of romance to us? Is it the co-evolution of our culture and collective psyches with these elegant brutes? A history spanning back some ten thousand years of which the world that we created for ourselves could not have been possible without this relationship between man and beast? Or maybe it’s that we simply see ourselves in these animals. They are, of course, social creatures, family bonds running strong like the course wood of an oak. The eyes, so wide and ever searching, demand our attention and wonder, bespeaking of a deep intelligence that we yearn to understand.

Of all the many facets of horses and horse culture, none seem to pull at our romantic heart strings more so than the wild horses. The iconic image of the Wild West, the mustang embodies all that we hold dear about our western landscapes and even our own cultural values. Freedom seems to be at the heart of the matter.  Yet the West is not the only landscape that feels the hoof beet of the mustang. Though the horse and the West have become inextricable from each other, it was on these barrier islands that horses were first brought back to the North American continent by Europeans.

Along the northern stretch of our beloved Outer Banks, their still to this day roam a remnant population of these horses of conquest. With the ancestry of the colonial Spanish horse coursing through their veins, and a history that may very well link them back to the Lost Colony of the Outer Banks, the Corolla wild horses are surrounded by myth and legend. Set to the exquisite landscape of this barrier island these horses continue to roam the beaches and back country as they have for centuries. Wind, sand, sea, and storms have coalesced to create a breed of horse on this island unlike any other on Earth. Their existence here is truly a testament to life itself.

Outer Banks Expeditions offers a one of a kind opportunity to experience and learn about the story behind these most fascinating creatures. Not only will you learn about the different theories of their origin, but you will have the opportunity to see and learn about the unique adaptations to survival on this island, the genetics that back this all up, and evolution into a breed unto themselves. You will learn just what it takes for these horses to survive here, how they manage it through the seasons, and how they have come to occupy their own ecological niche in such a seemingly alien world. Expect to come away with a unique grasp of their social dynamics, body language, and dare we say culture as well. This is not the trip for you, if all you want is to be guided up to see a few horses, hear a some anecdotal stories and take a couple pictures. This is a four wheel drive tour de force into the ecology and natural history of these wild horses of the Outer Banks.

Like all things though, these horses cannot truly be understood in isolation from the world in which they live. To understand their natural history and place in this world, we must also understand the landscape that has shaped this horses. From the geological phenomena that still perplex and amaze researchers, to the fragile community of life that has managed to adapt to salt, storms, and the ocean – the Discovery tour will cover it all.

We have found that a simple two hour tour of the area like other companies offer just does not cut it. So much is left out, so much glossed over and ignored. It was in fact for this reason that Outer Banks Expeditions first started, to offer a more in depth, and substantial ecological adventure to visitors who were vacationing on the Outer Banks. This is adventure based environmental education at its best.

Tour length 4 hours.

Includes drinks, snacks, binoculars, spotting scope, field guides, and of course your very own published and charismatic naturalist to guide you.

Price: $80 for adults; 1/2 price for children 12 and under.

This trip is offered all year long – 365 days a year.