Twins - UPDATED WITH PICS

[Bondama]

My palomino appendix mare gave birth to twins Wednesday night, fraternal ones, a red dun filly (complete with marked dorsal stripe) and a grullo colt. Yes, grullo! I asked the vet how they could be so different, and he said this mare apparently produces two follicles....not one that might have split. He recommended ultrasounding her should she ever be re-bred, and we will definitely do that. Surprisingly, too, she went 340 days to the day, so they were full term.

The colt was very nearly full size, but the filly is petite. Sadly, in spite of that, the colt developed neurological problems which the vet said is common in twins, and had to be euthanized this morning. He never was able to stand up, and although he nursed vigorously via bottle feeding, he just got worse and worse, and then began to have seizures. The little filly, however, is a miracle. At about 40 lbs., all her vitals are normal, she can stand without assistance, although her feet are still very crooked, but improving. She had to be bottle fed the first night and following day, but has learned to find mama's teat and nurse directly. She doesn't wobble (windswept I think?).....she's perfect in every way, just small. We are giving her IM antibiotics twice daily, and making sure she nurses each hour, and has "exercise".....standing and walking around as much as she can. The vet was stunned at her - he thought the colt would have made it, and she would have been the loss....we are naming her Saving Grace, and are calling her Gracie. Still, in spite of everything positive, she really isn't out of the woods yet.....I suppose anything can happen, but right now we're going hour by hour and everything is as perfect as it can be.

Photos early next week.

B
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TRINITY RANCH - Home of WF Indian Bill, Perlino stallion, dual reg. AQHA/APHA
Breeders of Fine Dilute Appendix Horses for Sport and Trail

[dqh]

Congrats but at the same time I'm sorry for the loss of the colt. Good luck with Gracie...love her name. I can't wait to see photos.
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[horsewoman1965]

so sorry for the loss. Twins! goodness, I hope that is something I will never experiance. I hope you have lots of help with her care. I would find it very hard to not be sleeping next to her in order to be as close at hand as possible. Glad she is able to nurse. Please keep us updated and pictures as soon as you get the chance.
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RMT Paints
Home of Joys San Skip

[Turn N Burn]

wow, congrats, but you also have my regards.........and that is very rare, the whole twin thing yes, but the two seperate follicles is very un-common, at least to my knowledge. and i also cant wait to see pics of gracie!! what a little treasure!
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Rope it, Ride it, Wrestle it.....COWGIRL IT

[Bondama]

Thank you for your well wishes. Gracie is truly a miracle of God. Not only is she now able to stand without help, she can find mama's teats and nurse without help as well!! She is refusing the bottle altogether!! She is absolutely perfect, just small. However, in just these 2 days, she has begun to fill out and is losing that bony look...mama's milk is very, very rich and flows like a faucet. In fact, she has so much milk that we are milking her and freezing it to sell. We have advised the vet of this in the event he encounters an orphan - we would be willing to donate it for no cost. It's so cute to see the baby nursing on one side, and the other teat just spewing out the milk onto the baby's head!

I have taken TONS of photos, and will share them early in the week when I can get them off my camera and onto a disc. Don't have the software so I have to do it at Walgreens!

She is just beautiful, and feisty! She threw some little bucks this morning....it's just incredible how far she's come in so little time. That's how I know God's hands are on her, and we have to give him all the glory.

Thanks again for the well wishes, and I'll post updates continually!
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TRINITY RANCH - Home of WF Indian Bill, Perlino stallion, dual reg. AQHA/APHA
Breeders of Fine Dilute Appendix Horses for Sport and Trail

[horsewoman1965]

sounds wonderful. I know I'm anxiously waiting for the pics
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RMT Paints
Home of Joys San Skip

[Bondama]

Day 1: Both twins

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Day 1: The surviving filly, Grace, is being bottle fed by my youngest, Jayne.

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Day 2: Grace can finally stand up without help.

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Day 2: Grace wants to nurse, but can't quite hang on. SHe's all wet from mama's milk spewing out like faucets! I've never seen a mare with SO much milk!

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Day 3: She can finally get hold of a teat, and keep hold, and nurse without any assistance!

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Day 3: A tired girl getting some rest. You can see her dorsal stripe quite clearly here.

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She passed her one week mark yesterday, and is absolutely a "normal" baby, except for her size and crooked little legs. We have to work to catch her to give her the antibiotic injections! She gallavants around her little area, she bucks, she kicked my daughter in the knee - she's quite the PILL. Gotta love that fighting spirit (for now anyway). The vet says Friday, the 10th day, will be the last for the injections, and I'm glad. He feels comfortable that by that time, she will be safely out of the woods. I'll continue to post pics from time to time, as she progresses.
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TRINITY RANCH - Home of WF Indian Bill, Perlino stallion, dual reg. AQHA/APHA
Breeders of Fine Dilute Appendix Horses for Sport and Trail

[horsewoman1965]

OMG!!! that is really something else! milk just streaming out
with her legs being like that, did the vet think she will straighten up after awhile on their own?
Your daughter bottle feeding is such a cute pic.
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RMT Paints
Home of Joys San Skip

[Bondama]

Yes, the vet feels like they will strengthen and straighten on their own. He said to keep her confined to a small space, however, so she isn't tempted to try and run around, thus possibly injuring herself, or doing some irreparable damage. She's in such a space, maybe 20 x 30, about the size of a stall and little walkout. I was looking at her this morning, and she's really fleshing out. Can barely see her ribs any more, and she's getting some hips! Mama's bountiful milk is soooo rich. Today is the 10th day, she'll get 2 more injections tonight then we can stop, and hopefully she'll start to love us again. I miss being able to cuddle with her, but she's gotten mistrustful - she hates the shots, just like any little kid!
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TRINITY RANCH - Home of WF Indian Bill, Perlino stallion, dual reg. AQHA/APHA
Breeders of Fine Dilute Appendix Horses for Sport and Trail

[Bondama]

Well, our girlie is now 21 days old, and boy has she changed! She's growing by leaps and bounds - I think she's trying to catch up! You can't see her ribs, and she's gotten a butt finally. Feet are still a little crooked, but they're coming along. She's learned to love being scratched, especially her rump, but you better be quick or she'll buck and kick with both barrels. Don't know where that comes from. Her mama is as quiet as they come, and so is her daddy....as quiet as a stallion could be. She has an excellent family. She nurses voraciously, and lips hay and has begun to show interest in mama's grain at feedings. I am hesitant to offer her any of her own yet, however. I think I'll wait a little longer, and then moisten it for her. When we let her out into the front yard to clean up their area, she gets so excited. I can tell she wants to run, run, run!! She darts back and forth close to her mother, til she gets tired, then she finds a soft place to lie down and stretch out. What a sweet baby. Will post some more pics next week.
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TRINITY RANCH - Home of WF Indian Bill, Perlino stallion, dual reg. AQHA/APHA
Breeders of Fine Dilute Appendix Horses for Sport and Trail

[Inyureye]

Look forward to pictures. Hopefully next time you will be able to look for twins early and pinch one off. Its not fair to either of them to deplete the resources by dividing them amongst two, and not fair to the survivor to be a horse with possibly leg problems. We all know where the horses which can't be ridden can end up, or which might go lame early, if they are sold doing well for only a while. Horses just aren't able to manage twins, in general.

She looks like a real little Richard! I am glad her legs are straightening. The pasterns are going to be ok?
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[Bondama]

Gracie is doing magnificently. She's 7 weeks old now, well off her fetlocks and onto her hooves like she should be. Her legs have straightened out nicely. She's a little over at the knee on her left front, just slightly. I have tons of new pictures that I need to load into Webshots.....as soon as I do that, I'll post them here. In all seriousness, she really is doing fantastic. She is a normal filly, trying to catch up, growing like a weed, getting a huge QH butt on her. Well, after all, she is 3/4 QH and only 1/4 TB, and her mama is a Mack truck. She is very friendly and sociable, halter broke, learning to lead. I can't say enough nice things about her, nor how grateful I am that things have turned out alright. I have no plans to breed this mare back any time soon. If and when I ever do breed her again, she will get ultrasounded at 18 days.

I am, in fact, taking steps to get out of the breeding business altogether, in an effort to simplify my life. The truth is I just have so much going on, and I'm spread way too thin. I can't quit my job, can't quit my church, can't quit my children.....so that leaves quitting breeding. We are going to reduce the herd to just 3 personal riding mares. The stallion is going, and I just got the full payment on 2 colts via overnight this morning. Just a couple of mares and 1 filly to go, and I'll feel much better.....and so will my wallet, no doubt.


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TRINITY RANCH - Home of WF Indian Bill, Perlino stallion, dual reg. AQHA/APHA
Breeders of Fine Dilute Appendix Horses for Sport and Trail

[cgipson]

Good to hear the filly is coming along good - and good luck to you in getting all of your horses placed. Hope all goes well for you.