Among the many fond memories of my childhood is that of peering across the waters of Taylors Creek in Beaufort for a glimpse of the famed wild horses that would occassionally reveal themselves on the opposite shore of Shackleford Banks. The sightings of the horses were rare; but when they did occur it felt like I was catching a glimpse back in time.
Just a handful of places in the United States can boast these unique animals. According to the website of the Foundation for Shackleford Horses (http://www.shacklefordhorses.org/about.htm), "Historical research and genetics testing indicates that these wild horses descended from a core group of the old type of Spanish horses. One genetic factor, the blood variant Q-ac, is believed to be contributed by the Spanish horses of 400 years ago. This genetic marker has been found in only descendents of those Spanish horses. Easily lost through genetic drift, Q-ac has been documented in the Puerto Rican Paso Finos, the isolated mustang population of Montana's Pryor Mountains, and the horses of Shackleford Banks."
Please do what you can to support this foundation and to ensure that these beautiful creatures -- that are as much a part of North Carolina's heritage as its other natural resources -- are preserved. Here's to hoping that the children of generations to come will be able to get a thrill from gazing across the Beaufort waters for a glimpse of these majestic creatures.
-M. Lail
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