Welcome! | Log In
BLUEGRASS SERVER | Year: 159 Era: 19

HGG Community Forums

The Danger of Twin Foals - Horse Genetics Game - Forum
Log In to HorseGeneticsGame
Members log in here:
Username:
Password:

By hitting the above you signify that you agree with our rules and conditions.
Forgot your password?
HGG Community Forums

Join our discord server!

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

Who's Online (1)

The Danger of Twin Foals
  • Two for the price of one is always a great deal, right? Not when it comes to equine twins. Horses simply aren’t made to carry twins. Even if a twin pregnancy is carried to term, there is an extremely high chance that both twins, and sometimes even the mare, will not survive.

    Twins can occur in any breed of horse, but for some unknown reason, some breeds (like Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods) are more likely to have twins than others (like Quarter Horses). Because a twin pregnancy is so dangerous, breeders often ask their vet to either reduce (more on that later) or abort the pregnancy.

    While there are some breeders that will choose to let nature take its course, many will choose to reduce the pregnancy to try and save one foal and the mare, or they may also choose to abort the pregnancy to save the mare. This is because twin pregnancies that are carried to term have an extremely high chance of at least one of the three horses dying. In very serious cases, the mare will die along with both foals as a result of complications during birth. Even if all three horses manage to survive the birthing process, it is extremely unlikely that both foals will be able to live long enough to reach adulthood.

    So what does it mean to reduce a twin pregnancy? If twins are discovered early enough in the pregnancy via ultrasound, a breeder can ask their vet to “pinch off” one of the embryos. The vet does this by crushing one embryo so that it dies. Unfortunately, the potential trauma to the mare’s uterus could cause her to abort the remaining embryo. This may sound like a horrifying practice, but it is done in an attempt to prevent as much suffering as possible.

    Usually a mare releases one egg during ovulation. Twin pregnancies are a result of what’s called a double ovulation. Two eggs are released and both are fertilized by the stallion’s sperm, resulting in a twin pregnancy. Mares are more likely to double ovulate if they have done so in the past, if they are of a breed predisposed to twin pregnancies, have twinned in a previous breeding, are not currently nursing a foal, and/or are at their prime breeding age.

    So why aren’t horses designed to carry twins? In order to grow properly, the foal’s placenta needs to attach to the full surface area of the uterus in order to obtain the nutrients and oxygen necessary for growth and development. Because twins each have their own placenta, they are competing with each other for the nutrients that is meant to sustain a single foal, so neither twin can get all the nutrients it needs to grow properly. This usually results in underdeveloped organs and joints, stunted growth, and one foal being larger than the other as a result of obtaining more of the nutrient supply.

    Even if the foals do manage to survive long enough to be born, they may die from lack of oxygen. Unlike in humans, a foal’s placenta detaches from the uterine wall when contractions begin. While one foal is being born, the other has no oxygen and will suffocate if the first foal isn’t born quickly enough. Even if the second twin is born alive, it is very likely that the lack of oxygen will have caused brain damage.

    While twins are without a doubt absolutely adorable, equine twins are typically dangerous and deadly. While some mare owners may choose to let nature take its course, many breeders choose to intervene in order to try and prevent both unnecessary suffering and the death of their horses.
    I’m autistic and I struggle with any kind of communication, so I apologize in advance if I say anything rude or offensive because there’s a 99% chance that I have no clue I did it. I appreciate your patience with me!
  • So I have a question. If they check the mare for first signs of a successful breeding and find there are two embryos, could they in theory remove one of them and say freeze it or keep it for later use? I know about flushing mares for ETs but would that be something that needs to be found in the early, early stages to do?

    I'm really interested this topic and am going to go to school for it after we move so I'd love to know more.
  • Theoretically it might be possible, but like with reduction, I’m pretty sure that removing one embryo from the uterus could cause enough uterine irritation that the remaining embryo would be aborted.
    I’m autistic and I struggle with any kind of communication, so I apologize in advance if I say anything rude or offensive because there’s a 99% chance that I have no clue I did it. I appreciate your patience with me!
  • Hmm, if the mares would abort both anyway...I wonder if you could remove BOTH and after the health of the mare returns implant one at a time for two successful pregnancies?
    Thanked by 1Xzeina
  • Once again, theoretically possible, but that is astronomically more expensive than simply rebreeding the mare. Plus there’s no guarantee that the embryos would be able to successfully implant, so it may end up being a big waste of money when you could have just bred the mare again for just the vet fees and the stud fee.
    I’m autistic and I struggle with any kind of communication, so I apologize in advance if I say anything rude or offensive because there’s a 99% chance that I have no clue I did it. I appreciate your patience with me!
    Thanked by 1Xzeina
  • Awesome article, thank you for posting!
    Thanked by 1Nightphoenix
  • Thanks for the article I kinda wish I saw this before we had a twin pregnancy with my mare
    Thanked by 1Xzeina
  • @CutieCouger Did your twins and mama survive? Not to seem insensitive at all :) Just wondering, I find it pretty incredible that other animals are able to have twins just like humans
    Licenses: Watercolor, Nacre, Splash M, Wrong Warp, Phantom Autumn/Lace/Diamond Sparkle/Web/Hearts/Shamrock/Muddy Puddles/Roses/Critter Tracks/Jellyfish/Birdtracks, Paintbrush Cool, Paintbrush Prism, Plaid, Shatterglass, Inkspot, Toner, Mushroom, DFP2, Onyx, Platinum, Ice 6, Ice 17

    KG-Stable-Banner-1b
  • @CutieCouger Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, unless they are involved in breeding/broodmare care, a lot of people in the horse world don’t seem to know a lot about equine twins because it’s so rare for any to actually be born. I’m hoping that will change one day!
    I’m autistic and I struggle with any kind of communication, so I apologize in advance if I say anything rude or offensive because there’s a 99% chance that I have no clue I did it. I appreciate your patience with me!
  • Thanks for sharing this information, Nightphoenix. I found it very interesting, even though I won't be breeding any real horses.

    image
    Thanked by 1Nightphoenix
  • Yeah its super sad, but a lot of people cant afford to lose the mare
    ID # 273464
    - Anaconda Horses, Ponies and Collectibles -
    Licensed for height regulator
  • Honestly, if/when I breed my mare I doubt I’d find out in time. Unless I AI her; I would most likely not be having any vet checks unless something was seriously wrong. So I wouldn’t know until she had them. But it’s really interesting and nice information to have.
  • I saw This one video before and its a mare, has 1 foal but 3 days later she has another. i belive this is caused by a mare realising another unfertilized embryo and the stallion rebreeds her
    ID # 273464
    - Anaconda Horses, Ponies and Collectibles -
    Licensed for height regulator

Join our discord server!