Sea Horses
Wild Horses in Beaufort, NC
My quest to photograph the wild horses of the United States called me back to the beautiful landscape of the North Carolina coast. Although I have photographed the horses in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I had not ever seen or photographed the horses in the Beaufort NC area.
These horses are said to be the oldest population of wild horses in the United States. They are referred to as the banker horses and tend to be of a shorter stature. Alhough they are classified as a horse, they are often the height of a pony due to the lack of protein and important nutrients typically offered in the grasses and foliage in the environment. The Banker horse is recognized as a breed unto itself. Researchers have substantiated that these are not feral horses that have bred with other horses that have made their way to the off shore islands. I have learned that these horses have a smooth gait much like the running walk of the Tennessee Walking Horse.
Currently, there are approximately 45 horses that live on the 5 islands that comprise the area known as the Rachel Carson Reserve. It is reported these horses are the descendants of horses brought to the islands centuries ago by Spanish explorers.
As much as I love the desert and mountain landscapes of the west, I equally love the sea, sand and skyscapes of the crystal coast. The photographic possibilities are spectacular! I hope my collection here presents some of the evidence of the beauty that abounds in this magical place!
