Live and healthy twin foals TWICE! How rare is that?

Question

Bred first with one of my stallions, one of my cousin's mares foaled twin colts, both born live and both survived and thrived. That was a rare event, not just that she foaled twins but that they both survived and thrived. That was by pure happenstance because no ultrasound was done. Had an ultrasound been done and had it shown twin foals, I'm fairly sure her vet would have advised aborting one of the fetuses. Bred again two years later at 7-years-old, being sired by a different stallion, her mare foaled a healthy filly. Then wanting to breed her again last year at 9-years-old, and hoping to increase the chances of foaling a colt, my cousin bred her again with my same stallion that sired the twin colts. This time an ultrasound was done, but only once early in the pregnancy and at that time it only showed one fetus. Well, she got a colt. She got a colt AND a filly! She says both are standing and nursing. That mare delivered healthy twin foals TWICE! How rare do you think that is?

Answer 1

There isn't much statistical precedent for it, so I really am not quite sure. I haven't heard of it ever happening. Also, taking the chance of having two twins being born and multiplying is incorrect - there may be an altered chance of a second set of twins after a first (like, if someone eats both steak and hamburgers, you wouldn't multiply the probability that the person likes steak by the probability that someone likes hamburgers - people who like steak naturally tend to like hamburgers and vice versa).

Answer 2

its very rare to have a twin foal,horse breeding is an expensive business,time consuming.Breeder's find it not advisable and unlucky for them to have this twin to taking care off,if the combination of the stallion and the broodmare is not successful in horse racing ,you must not waste your time on the  horse with the same bloodline.it will be a big burden on your business.It's very ,very rare to have a good horse of the same stallion and same broodmare..and the product will never, never  be the same .

Answer 3

I don't know the stats but it must be extremely rare.  My neighbor had a mare who got in foal with twins several times.  She never delivered a live foal, even when they tried aborting one of the twins.  I know her vet (a very old guy) said he had never seen a mare deliver live twins.

Answer 4

Rare indeed

But most vets would have pinched one out

I am surprised that he did not

well it just goes to show us what can happen

hope all is well with them

and she has lots of milk to feed both ??

Answer 5

most vets will pinch one of the foals because the mare usually dont have room for both of them. the vets will also pinch one of the foals because the mare might die delivering both of the them.  most dont want to take that chance. be careful and congratulations!