Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/wild-horse-alma/
Wild horses are pushed out of the herd they are born into around 2 to 3 years of age. They must find another herd to join, which usually isn’t a problem. However, one young filly in a remote part of the Outer Banks in North Carolina was seen wandering alone for months.
The two-year-old filly named Alma was forcefully removed from the herd by the stallion, which is most likely her father. She was forced to roam the sandy shores alone in search of a new harem but was unsuccessful.
She was spotted by many visitors who thought she was lost or needed help due to the bite marks on both sides of her face. Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF), a nonprofit organization that manages and protects the wild horses, only steps in when it is absolutely necessary.
After receiving many phone calls, they posted, “Alma is often alone on the beach and to human observers seems lost, which is understandably concerning. It may be difficult to see, but we have to remember that these are wild horses behaving naturally. It’s what eventually happens to each and every young horse, though Alma’s situation is a little unique.”
Her original herd is over a mile from any other horses, so Alma needed to travel north to find more horses but instead come across humans. The lonely mare started to approach and follow humans and vehicles, which is dangerous for everyone.
CWHF urged people to shoo her away if she approached and to not pet her or give her any “positive attention”.
They want the horses to remain wild and free and the only way to do that is if people keep their distance. “We want Alma to be completely disinterested in humans – afraid of them, even. She is in a very vulnerable position right now, where she is young, impressionable, and unfortunately alone. We want her to be seeking out the company of other horses, not people,” stated CWHF.
She finally started to head north and discovered more horses. After being on her own for months, she has finally joined a new herd. The nonprofit shared the exciting news on Facebook. They wrote, “We have some great news to report this morning – Alma has joined up with a new group of horses! Way to go, girl! We knew she would figure it out. She’s with stallion Cowboy, mares Daisy and Shala, and Shala’s three year old son Renzi.”
The injuries on her face are nearly healed and she appears to be in good health. All the horses were peacefully grazing in the photos shared by the nonprofit.
This is a unique herd because it currently has two stallions, however the younger one, Renzi, is not viewed as a threat yet by Cowboy. CWHF said, “Will be interesting to see if maybe Renzi and Alma break off on their own since they are close in age.”
Alma’s fans near and far are thrilled and cannot wait to see more of her (from afar, of course).
CWHF asks people to help keep the horses wild by not feeding or petting them. They appreciate everyone’s concern for Alma and posted, “There’s a lot to be said for trusting the horses, trusting nature, and doing what’s best even when it’s hard on our human emotions. Excited to see what the future holds for this special mare!”
Follow CWHF on Facebook for more updated on the wild horses.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
