Thought you'd like to see these photos of the wild horses that roam free on North Beach, at the northern tip of the Outer Banks, the barrier islands off of North Carolina. Currently the herd numbers about 100. They are about the size of Shetland ponies, and are the decendents of shipwreaked Spanish horses. They are protected, and have no fear of humans. It is against the law to feed or hay them, but I noticed that there are a few bales of hay left out in the open. The main medical problem is gout, due to the high salt content of the dune grasses. The state of North Carolina would like the herd numbers to increase, since they are a major tourist attraction. I think that the herd size is self limiting, due to the limited resources, and residential development on North Beach. In the winter the horses shelter under homes that are built on stilts. This is a photo of a mare.
