One eyed mare defies the odds and gives birth to twin foals
A horse stud owner has been left stunned after discovering that his one-eyed mare had defied the odds and given birth to live twin foals.
The chances of twin goals being born alive are considered 1 in 10,000.
Spurrs Stud owner Kevin Spurr said that the birth was a complete surprise.
“My first thought was ‘don’t tell me another mare has had a foal and run away and left that’,” he said.
“A bit after that I realised she’d had twins. I was a little bit stunned, actually, I didn’t know what to think.”
Katanning Regional Veterinary Hospital owner John Maxwell has been practicing as an equine vet for more than 50 years and has said he has never seen the successful delivery of twin goals that go on to survive.
“I’m surprised, very surprised,” Dr Maxwell said.
“I have had a breeder in Wagin that I’ve [aborted] twice because the chances of both surviving were considered almost zero. So this is an exceptional occurrence.”
The twin foals, named Snip and Drop, are being well looked after by Mr Spurr and his farmhand Nicole Kumpfmueller. Round-the-clock care is needed for the foals as their mother has one eye and needs to make sure she does not tread on them.
"We get out here and they're already waiting and know the routine," Ms Kumpfmueller said.
"And you have to give them antibiotics twice a day.
"Every now and then we give them an extra milk bucket as well to make sure they have enough milk because we currently don't know how much she can produce for them.
"I think it's worth it. If you look at them, they're just too cute not to get up."