They look like any other ordinary animals - but these special little twin filly foals beat odds of survival of one-in-10,000 when born on a north Suffolk farm.
They look like any other ordinary animals - but these special little twin filly foals beat odds of survival of one-in-10,000 when born on a north Suffolk farm.
The one-week-old pure bred Welsh Cobs were born from a six-year-old Welsh Cob mare, Rose. Tilly, with the thinner stripe face marking, and Lilly, with the full blaze face marking, are keeping their ex-competitive jumping mother on her toes on their farm in Wingfield, near Diss.
Owner Lee Smith said: 'We were very lucky, we couldn't believe it at first. All three are doing very well, they are getting stronger day by day.'
He added: 'We might take them to the Suffolk Show this year, but its tiring for Rose to look after two foals so we will see.' Twin foals are very rare, with the odds of survival believed to be one-in-10,000.
Many owners have to choose whether to abort one or both due to the high risks of carrying twin foals to full term, but Rose was too far along when they found out that she was expecting twins.
A spokesman for the British Horse Society said: 'We are pleased to hear of the safe arrival of twin foals Tilly and Lilly.
'In horses, twins are incredibly rare and usually result in the death of one or both of the twins.
'Fortunately this wasn't the case with Tilly and Lilly, but we'd always recommend that owners get their mare scanned during the early stages of pregnancy'.
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