Challenge Painting #357 Two Socks Corolla Herd from The Outer Banks of North Carolina

"Two Socks"
Wild Stallion of Corolla Herd in Currituck County North Carolina
8 by 10 inches Watercolor  Original
by Artist Linda L Martin
$350.00

The Story of Two Socks is a sad one that came to my attention last May shortly after my birthday. Two Socks was a very popular stallion  who was seen often  and remembered by repeated visitors to the islands as they watched his family grow and develop.  Two Socks, a beautiful black stallion, was given his name his name from his two hind socks.

Two Socks is also a story of the challenges of managing the of  wild horses in areas where development is happening quickly. While local governments are struggling to play catch up with regulations, they are also trying to increase their tax base in order to provide services necessary to those moving into the new developments.  It is the challenge of land that has multiple use and multiple owners. All the while sustaining the population of wildlife and wild horses in a dwindling habitat. It is a further challenge because land is limited simply because these are islands.

The beach at Corolla is also considered a main road for 4x4 vehicles and a way for people to get to their homes, as well as to visit the Atlantic Beach for sun and swimming. Driving has always been permitted on the beach as long as I can remember and at this time there is no real move to close a portion of the beach to vehicles.

Wild Banker Horses share the beach
roads on the islands of the Outer Banks.
The non-profit Corolla Wild Horse Fund
was formed by concerned citizens a result
of 19+  wild  horses loosing their lives
to altercations with vehicles on the open
road. In addition to educating the public,
there is a fine of $500 if one harms a 
Wild Horse in the county. The Corolla Wild
Horse fund is currently working on
legislation at the state and federal levels
to put additional  protections in place for
this historically significant and loved herd.
Photography by Kim Galluzzo.
Used by Permission

On the night of May 28th the black stallion, Two Socks, was either defending his band or having a bit of frolic on the beach with his mares when it was reported that he ran into a vehicle and received terminal injuries. Speed was not an issue with the vehicle, nor was alcohol, according to newspaper accounts. The driver was said to be very fond of the wild horses on the island and was heart sick at the accident.

While a lot of people want to place blame in this situation, anyone who has faced a wild deer on a back country road in the dead of night knows that brown is hard to see if there is no additional light. Two Socks was a deep blue black and would have been impossible to see on that dark moonless evening running through the sand. Having spent a night or two on the beach at the Outer Banks myself as a child I know how dark it can get even with the white sand on a starry night.
It is incredibly sad to have lost one such as this noble stallion in any circumstances, especially, one such as he, who was so well loved.  At some point, and soon, changes that favor the safety and preservation of the horses will need to be made to lessen and end the opportunity for the devastating impact of such accidents.

To read more about the  management and challenges of  protecting the Wild Horses of the Outer Banks and what is being done to protect them and their habitat please go to: http://www.corollawildhorses.com/management/

Reference photography for tonight's painting provided by Kim Galluzzo.  Information about Two Socks and the challenges of  managing horses in a suburban area was gathered from personal experience, stories from people visiting the Outer Banks, a variety of local and regional news publications including the Virginia Pilot News Paper.