Horse Gives Birth To Surprise Twins At Saratoga

Treliver D'Aquitaine (aka Daisy) imported from England and by the very successful Grand Prix dressage stallion Treliver Decanter was 7 days over her due date when we were finally called up to the stables by our night watch saying she was in labour.

My husband Guy and I rushed up very excited to see what Daisy was going to have just in time to help a beautiful palomino colt into the world, we were a bit surprised at his size because Daisy is very big being a genuine 17.2hh but we were thrilled with how beautiful he was. Our dogs started barking at the house and Guy went down to see why. While I was alone watching over the new colt what I thought was the afterbirth started coming out but Daisy looked like she was in proper labour again, she lay down a couple of times and started pushing. Quixote was wanting to stand and with help once he was standing she was more interested in him, nudging and licking him than pushing. While she was standing I felt inside her past the afterbirth and felt two feet! As soon as Guy got back to the stables in a panic I told him we needed to pull the second foal out with urgency, while he pulled I held the little body coming out, as soon as she came out and lay on the hay our hearts stopped watching to see if she took a breath and she did!! She was breathing and had a strong heart beat which we could see through her little chest.... Daisy had had a second foal, a cremello filly! She was tiny but strong and a fighter, wanting to stand within minutes and ready to drink once standing. I bottle fed her colostrum from Daisy every two hours in a bottle for the first day and supplemented her milk intake with a bottle until she wouldn't suckle from the bottle anymore and we could see she was drinking from mom well enough. Now we just had to keep a very close eye on her.... we could see her brother was going to be just fine!

Both foals have thrived and are now strapping two and a half year old beautiful young horses.
This was a once in a lifetime experience which was magical - to watch the twins interaction and what an exceptional mother Daisy was was a joy to watch.