Wild horse hit by car on NC’s Outer Banks, then it gets up and leaves, fund says

The feral horses roaming North Carolina’s Outer Banks have a resilience that borders on the supernatural, and one proved it in a startling way when she stood up and walked away from a car crash.

It happened around 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 on Sandpiper Road in Corolla, according to the nonprofit Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

“Witnesses reported that the horse was hit and fell down, but was able to stand back up on her own and rejoin her group,” the fund said in a Sept. 19 news release. “Fortunately the mare did not sustain any serious injuries and has been moving and behaving normally since the incident.”

The driver reported the collision happened when the horse ran into the road, and he watched as the horse got up and left, according to a statement released by the Currituck County Sheriff’s Department. The driver was charged with violating a county ordinance against injuring wild horses and pleaded guilty, officials said.

“He paid the fine and court costs and was released back to his family,” the sheriff’s department said in the release.

Witness descriptions of the horse helped the Corolla Wild Horse Fund track her down for a closer exam, officials said.

“We are extremely relieved that this incident did not result in serious injury or death, but would like to remind all drivers on the 4x4 (off road areas) to always use caution and drive slowly. This mare was the fourth horse to be struck in 2025,” the fund reported.

A herd of about 100 wild horses roams the Corolla area, and they are protected and tended through donations to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.