Twin Foals Are Not Always A 'Disaster'

Twin Foals Are Not Always A 'Disaster'

November 20, 2011 

South African ‘Horse of the Year’ and leading sire DYNASTY, and historic U.S. ‘Horse of the Year’ SPECTACULAR BID can attest to that.

I grew up knowing that twin foals weren’t always a total disaster. How, as a child, could I possibly know that?

My grandfather bred the odd draft horse on his farm in Wiltshire in England, and, in 1918, the same year that my mother was born, one of his mares dropped twins; twins of equal size, and both extremely healthy. Such was the occasion, that, when they were a few weeks old, the village photographer was commissioned to come and take a photograph.

The ‘carter’ (Jones) was instructed to hold the mare in the middle of the field whilst the photographer set up his tripod, got the mare in focus, and was instructed by my grandfather – who stood to the front of the mare with a flag – that he was to only take the photograph when my grandfather dropped the flag!

The twins were galloping round the field – but, in due course came to a stop in front of their dam – my grandfather dropped the flag – three sets of ears pricked, and the photo – with all twelve legs showing was recorded for posterity.  It was this photo that told me, as a child, that twin foals could be “okay”!

               

 

My grandfather's draft mare with twin foals - Kellaways Farm, Wiltshire, 1918

Nowadays most top studs veterinarians pick up twin conceptions at an early enough stage to perform a ‘reduction’ – which they hope, will result in a single foetus being carried to full term.

Back in the late sixties, Dudley Austen, one of South Africa’s leading breeders of stud Dorper sheep, decided to venture into the world of the Thoroughbred and set up a ’boutique’ style stud on his farm at Sunland in the Sundays River Valley – only a few miles from the Willow Tree Stud of Jean Butter (see previous posting).

Dudley was a perfectionist – his stable block had to be the most meticulously designed and well-built yard in the country and was finished to the highest level. His first mares were well-chosen, and he only used the most successful stallions in the country.

One of his first importations was the beautifully-bred LAVENDA LADY (GB) a mare by ABERNANT, and whose granddam was a half-sister to TURN-TO.

With her fourth dam being the renowned (and now acknowledged as a ‘Reine-de- Course’) LAVENDULA, Dudley’s obvious choice for a mating for LAVENDA LADY was JOY II (Djebe – Perfume by Badruddin – Lavendula) – which mating would result in a 3×5 cross to the great mare.

JOY II was a winning (2 minor wins) three-parts brother to MY BABU (winner of the Two Thousand Guineas and a successful sire) and was himself a highly successful sire here in South Africa with top horses such as DOUBLE EAGLE and ONYX amongst his progeny. He was also one of the first stallions in South Africa to command a R1,000 stud fee!

                  JOY II (GB) by Djebe - Perfume by Badruddin - at Platberg Stud, Colesberg

And so, in 1973, following her ’72 liaison with JOY II, LAVENDA LADY gave birth …. to twins! A colt of normal size, and a filly of less than normal physique!

The colt, named JOLLY JOY, raced in Port Elizabeth, winning no less than 8 races, whilst the filly, aptly named JOY PETITE (little Joy) never made it to the races – but, did go on to surprise many by becoming the granddam of South African ‘Horse of the Year’ DYNASTY (Fort Wood) who has himself already sired a ‘Horse of the Year’ in IRISH FLAME.

Back in 1959, at Elmendorf Farm in Kentucky, the mare DANGER AHEAD produced twin fillies by TO MARKET. Named STOP ON RED and GO ON GREEN they not only survived, but both reached the races, and both of them won seven races apiece!

STOP ON RED went on to breed a number of winners but her primary contribution to racing and the breed was as the granddam of ‘Horse of the Year’ and multiple Champion SPECTACULAR BID who retired to stud as the highest stakes winning colt in history.

Whilst a single foal is obviously the goal of all breeders, the above at least can give hope to anyone who does end up with one more foal than was expected!