©Daily MailA horse in Devon has amazingly given birth to twins for a second time, just 18 months after her first pair of foals arrived.
19-year-old mare Destiny gave birth to the second set of twins last month, February 26 leaving owner and horse breeder Tania MacKee completely astounded.
The adorable duo, who are yet to be named, were born at Gassons Farm Stud in Exeter. Destiny completely defied the odds of around a million to one to deliver a second set of twins.
©Daily MailWhile the second set of twins aren’t identical like their predecessors, they’re still just as cute.
Sharing the news on the farm’s Facebook page, it was revealed only a single foetus was detected during a pregnancy scan, so when two foals appeared it was a huge surprise.
The post read:
On the 26th February following an otherwise uneventful pregnancy and a textbook delivery to full term. Our fantastic mare Destiny foaled a perfect pair of foals – again!!
A filly and a colt presented themselves following a brief and relatively easy birth. Both Destiny and her two foals were on their feet and all three enjoying a well earned feed rapidly, the two little ones zooming around the stable and exploring their surroundings and no doubt enjoying more space than they had become accustomed to!
Before I continue, I would like to categorically state that Destiny had been scanned with only one ovulating follicle and following conception, only a single foetus was detected. At no stage during her pregnancy was there the slightest suspicion that there was anything unusual.
Twins as most of us know are not desirable due to their poor survival rate and the inherent danger to the mare. This is why we routinely scan for multiple pregnancies and take immediate action in a timely fashion upon the discovery of such; neither is it common for a mare to carry to term and produce two healthy twin foals.
The foals’ older siblings, named GFS Shockwave and GFS Masta Blasta (GFS standing for Gassons Farm Stud), are also doing well alongside their younger siblings.
One of the older foals is now at a professional show-jumping home, while the other is preparing to go into eventing.
©Daily MailDr Charles Cooke, veterinary surgeon and director at Equine Reproductive Services, told the MailOnline how extraordinary it is for a mare to successfully have two sets of twins.
Dr Cooke said:
Twins are rare and they’re rare for a reason. The horse is anatomically designed to be able to carry one foetus and then, after birth, to support one foal with milk and nutrition.
Twin pregnancies can be dangerous to the mare and the majority end in pregnancy loss in late pregnancy. That is why this case is so rare and interesting.
While the horses’ owner, Tania Mackee, called the foals ‘strong’ and ‘feisty’, saying: ‘It’s amazing. I’ve been breeding for years and years and I’ve never heard of something like this before. It was surreal.’
We can’t wait to see what the gorgeous foals go on to achieve!
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Niamh Shackleton is a pint sized person and journalist at UNILAD. After studying Multimedia Journalism at the University of Salford, she did a year at Caters News Agency as a features writer in Birmingham before deciding that Manchester is (arguably) one of the best places in the world, and therefore moved back up north. She’s also UNILAD’s unofficial crazy animal lady.