Beloved wild horse named Hazel who 'babysat' young foals on North Carolina coast is found dead in 110-degree heat Hazel was believed to be in her late 20s and possibly 30, according to a local horse fund She often 'babysat' other horses, and is believed to have had many foals herself Hazel had no injury or illness, but the heat may have contributed to her death She roamed the coastal barrier islands as part of a 100-horse herd It's believed that colonial shipwrecks led to the Spanish Mustang descendants roaming the area for hundreds of years
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A horse who was known in the Outer Banks region of North Carolina as an 'honorary grandmother' to younger horses has died amid triple-degree temperatures.
The horse named Hazel was well into her 20s, and perhaps even 30, according to a Sunday afternoon Facebook post by the Corolla Wild Horse Fund announcing her death.
The average lifespan of a horse is 25 to 30 years, according to WebMD.com.
Hazel is believed to have been close to 30, the upper end of an average horse's lifespan
Hazel, second from right, was part of a herd of 100 horses who roam the Outer Banks region of North Carolina
'Hazel lived and died as every wild horse should - free, and