Horse euthanized in Outer Banks after being hit by vehicle

A wild horse in the Outer Banks was euthanized after it was hit by a vehicle.

On Sunday the Corolla Wild Horse Fund received a call about a horse that appeared to be injured.

When staff arrived, they found 9-year-old Thicket, who was not moving or bearing any weight on his front left leg. The staffer also saw pieces of a vehicle on the road next to Thicket.

The horse fund contacted their veterinarian and the sheriff's department, and deputies spoke with people in the area to check for surveillance video or if anyone had seen anything.

Thicket was sedated for his comfort and transported to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund farm, where he was given medication and allowed to rest. On Monday, x-rays confirmed Thicket's elbow was badly fractured. He also had significant cuts on his shoulder and face.

"Due to the severity of the injuries and concerns for his quality of life, we made the decision to euthanize Thicket," the horse fund posted.

A Facebook post reads, "We will probably never know who hit Thicket, or why they didn’t call 911 to report it so that we could have responded sooner. We hope that it was truly an accident; that it wasn’t due to alcohol or reckless driving. But to be honest, we keep asking ourselves what kind of person could hurt a horse that badly and then just leave them there to suffer?"

Thicket had a herd of four mares.

"It’s a devastating loss for the herd, and heartbreaking for those of us who have watched Thicket grow up," the horse fund posted, encouraging everyone to be careful.

"Please slow down. Please do not feed or pet the horses. Please call 911 immediately if you witness horses in danger or distress," the fund said.