Tuesday, October 13, 2026
By Submitted Story on October 15, 2025
On September 20, we removed stallion JW (aka Jumper) from the wild after he presented signs of colic that did not resolve on their own after several hours of observation. We were able to successfully manage his symptoms, and he responded very well to supportive care and medication. However, since our last update about him, these episodes began occurring again.
While he initially responded well to treatment, he started having breakthrough symptoms and was still exhibiting signs of discomfort even while medicated. On Friday afternoon he became acutely worse while being treated. Based on his history, his age, and the severity of the colic episode, our veterinarian and herd management team made the decision to humanely euthanize him.
JW was well into his 30s, which is very old for any horse, but especially for a stallion who spent his entire life in the wild. He was one of the more well-known horses due to his habit of jumping in and out of the Carova Beach Park. He came by the name Jumper honestly! If you have ever visited the park, it’s likely you saw JW there. He was one of the horses we could always expect to see most days, sometimes alone (he was a longtime bachelor) but often with the other old stallions who lived in the same territory.
These stallions were all around the same age and spent their entire lives together. They formed bachelor bands in their youth, they battled for mares and raised foals alongside each other, and in their later years, after they were done with fighting and breeding, they joined back up with each other to spend the rest of their days together as old stallions often do. Over the last several years they have been reaching the end of their lives
We will miss seeing them quietly grazing in the meadow, we will miss catching them asleep in the shade of the scrub oaks, and we’ll even miss the calls about a horse being “stuck” in the park – though JW did teach some of the other horses how to jump in and out, so that tradition will likely carry on.
But JW and Flint, Theo and Yogi, Buddy, Knight, and Rhett – they all left their mark on the herd. We can take comfort in the fact that they all lived the kind of life that we hope every Banker foal born on this beach grows up and experiences.
Jumper, JW, Dubs as Betty often called him, was laid to rest on the farm Friday night near his old friend Flint.
To learn more about the Corolla Wild Horse Fund or to support them visit Corolla Wild Horse Fund and follow them on Facebook.
See what people are saying:
Chris
So sad to hear about this horse. 😞