Twin shire foals

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FionaM12

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I just saw on facebook that one of my fb friends has twin foals born yesterday, shires I believe. :)

How unusual are twin foals, and what's the chance of both thriving?
 
I'd ask in Breeding to get a better idea.

From the little I know, twin conceptions are very common, up to 30% plus in some breeds, however there is a natural mechanism which virtually always reabsorbs one embryo in the early stages. Obviously if scanned the vets can also 'pinch' off one embryo. The vast majority that make it past this tend to be aborted later on (8/9 months I've seen before :( )

I'm not sure any accurate statistics are available as viable twin foals are so very rare. I've heard the figure of 1 in 10,000 cases resulting in a healthy mare and both foals surviving being bandied about though. However, if both foals are born alive, manage to feed and make it to 2 weeks without major health problems, they stand a decent chance. Fingers crossed.

I'd say your friend is almost unbelievably lucky even to have got as far as she has! Did she know the mare was pregnant/did she not scan? Mares who conceive twins once tend to do so subsequently so if she does breed again I would highly recommend scanning.
 
rhino said:
I'd say your friend is almost unbelievably lucky even to have got as far as she has! Did she know the mare was pregnant/did she not scan? Mares who conceive twins once tend to do so subsequently so if she does breed again I would highly recommend scanning.
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I don't know much. She is a fb friend, someone I worked with at a riding school 40 years ago and we've re-connected on facebook so it's a slight and distant connection. She has a lot of horses, and breeds them. I'm not sure the foals belong to her or she's just closely involved with them.

There are photos on my Facebook wall but I don't want to post them here without permission. However, I believe they'll be more details in the press tomorrow.

I've never heard of or seen twins before. They look very cute :o and I really hope they do okay.
 
FionaM12 said:
I've never heard of or seen twins before. They look very cute :o and I really hope they do okay.
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I would guess (and it's only a guess, I may well be completely wrong) that something like a Shire would be 'roomier' than a more LW mare, and would therefore stand a better chance of 'cooking' twin foals correctly. I think the poster Simsar's stallion had twins last year who did really well (possibly an ID mare in that case so again 'roomy')

Would love an update if and when you get one x
 
Multiple Embryo's are very common, but are usually found at scanning and pinched out or popped leaving just one embryo.

Twin pregnancies often end with both foals dying and sometimes the mare as well - both safely delivered is quite remarkable and they are usually very small.
 
Tnavas said:
Multiple Embryo's are very common, but are usually found at scanning and pinched out or popped leaving just one embryo.

Twin pregnancies often end with both foals dying and sometimes the mare as well - both safely delivered is quite remarkable and they are usually very small.
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as Tnavas saysa ultisols embryos are common and it's why a mare should be scanned. live born twins are rare because most do get their mares scanned.
 
Aww what a lovely story. It did say she was scanned in the article.

Good luck to all three of them. Hope it works out.
 
there was a shire mare last year that had foals-saw them in the flesh at RWAS.Both foals were good size and mum and babies where thriving. Think it was Catwyg shires?
 
I had a very successful connemara type, pony mare who was a twin. She showjumped to the very highest level and was top moneywinner in uk for her height. I always wondered if her twin brother was as successful. She was born in Ireland in 1974 before scans were the done thing
 
thatsmygirl said:
Was no scan done then?
Not very responable if it wasn't. :(
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The link doesn't fully explain why it was too late to intervene when the scan was done. Maybe the mare came to the present owner already pregnant? They appear to be very experienced breeders, but I don't know what the circumstances were.
 
tallyho! said:
Aww what a lovely story. It did say she was scanned in the article.
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Yes, but if it was too late to do anything, then it wasn't correct procedure for scanning. If done appropriately there is plenty of time to pinch off one or terminate both. Still, too late now :)
 
Lovely foals hope they make it,

I used to own a mare ' Kimera' thats dam was a twin (both survived) and she herself was pregnant with twins, but we aborted,

And a friend close by her appy had twins 2 years ago, both born alive, the bigger one died at a couple of days old and she had the other PTS... :-(
 
How absolutely lovely, and both looking bright as buttons (and a similar size which is good; often there is a 'runty' one). Will be an expensive job though, and not covered by any insurance :eek:
 
rhino said:
Yes, but if it was too late to do anything, then it wasn't correct procedure for scanning. If done appropriately there is plenty of time to pinch off one or terminate both. Still, too late now :)
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Well, of course, I get that.

It's a miracle they survived through to birth and with the right care, both are likely to survive even on replacement milk. Many orphans do, why shouldn't a twin.

I think, given every chance, the twins and mum will be fine.

Not everything in life is black and white, and I just wish them the best and hope they do well. A bit late to be criticising past actions now.
 
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