The Shackleford Banks horses are a draw for tourists and locals alike, and the National Park Service is looking for volunteers to help keep visitors and the horses safe, and to share information about the more than 110 descendants of Spanish horses from the mid-19th Century.
Pony Patrol volunteers will work three to four-hour shifts, walking Rachel Carson Reserve and Shackleford Banks and talking with visitors about how to best experience the beauty and natural behavior of the horses.
The volunteers will receive training in effectively communicating with visitors; in understanding the importance of giving wild horses space to be ‘wild’; and in the knowledge to answer basic questions about the horses and their natural-barrier island homes.
Candidates must be at least 18 years old and a US citizen or permanent resident and be physically able to walk the beach – including in sandy terrain, extreme sun, heat, humidity, wind, and buggy environments.
They’ll be expected to work three to four-hour shifts, at least three times per month. A link to the application is posted at public radio east dot org.
Find the application for the volunteer Pony Patrol HERE.
