Horse
Pronunciation:
bank-er
Breed Description:
The Banker breed of horse live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the United States. They are considered a feral domestic horse having been abandoned on the islands by man. Banker horses can be brown, chestnut, bay, dun, buckskin and pinto. They are a small, tough, hardy little horse, with shaggy coats and long manes, typical of the Spanish mustang type of horse. They are agile, hardy and have few leg problems. They have smooth gaits and many actually pace or amble. Bankers captured and trained have been used for trail riding, driving and sometimes for mounted patrols. They also make a good children’s horse.
Temperament:
The Banker breed of horse is feral horse of unknown temperament in the wild. However, the individuals who have been bred in captivity have been described as being docile, friendly and willing to learn. When properly trained, they can be used as a children’s riding horse.
Height:
The Banker breed of horse stands between 13 and 14.3 hands in height.
Weight:
The Banker breed of horse weighs between 800 to 1,000 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Banker breed of horse has no known health problems.
Living Conditions:
The Banker breed of horse is a feral horse living on the sand dunes of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This is a tough breed that subsists on the coarse marsh grasses and finds their water by digging away the sand until the water comes to the surface. They also get some moisture from the grasses they consume and from transitory freshwater puddles.
Exercise:
The Banker breed of horse is a feral horse that has no specific exercise requirements. Those who have been domesticated tend to be easy keepers so regular exercise is a must.
Life Expectancy:
The Banker breed of horse has a below average life span for a horse since they are primarily feral. It would be rare to find horses older than 15 or 20 years of age due the harsh environment and difficulty of obtaining food.
Grooming:
The Banker breed of horse requires no special grooming. Like all horses, when in work they will enjoy and benefit from daily grooming and should have their feet cleaned out daily as well.
Origin:
The Banker breed of horse is believed to have descended from Spanish horses brought by the first explorers to the area. Over the years they have undoubtedly been mixed with a variety of both English and Spanish horses. Currently there are small numbers of horses remaining on the Outer Banks, spread out among the various islands. Some horses were caught years ago by the Burras family and have been carefully managed and preserved in an effort to promote and protect them. The size of the herds is now regulated and managed by removing some horses each year in order to keep the size of the herd down to twenty or thirty animals. Each island where they are located is managed differently in order to keep the herd at a manageable size so as to not negatively impact the environment. The managers use a variety of techniques to maintain herd size including darting the mares with injectible birth control and rounding up and selling extra horses. 