A surprise that will warm your heart (Video)

Jenni and Guy Benson, warm blood owners/breeders of Saratoga Studs in South Africa received a particularly special surprise. Jenni’s prize mare, Treliver D’Aquitaine, Daisy, was pregnant with her first foal. She was a week past her due date and anxiety levels were soaring. When Jenni’s beloved mare Daisy was to give birth to her first foal, Jenni was full of anticipation. But the day did not go as she had had imagined. It went much, much better! When finally, Daisy went into labor, the Bensons raced to the stable in time to help a palomino colt into the world.

But he was healthy and beautiful and that was all they had hoped for. Amidst all the excitement of Don Quixote being born, Jenni’s dogs who were standing nearby suddenly began to bark with excitement. When Jenni turned to Daisy, she saw to her great surprise that she was about to give birth to a second foal. As the Bensons fussed over the foal, Daisy seemed to go back into labor. She began pushing but would not lay down, she was too interested in her new baby. Concerned, Guy carefully reached inside to check the afterbirth, instead he felt two feet. Twins! The second foal was gently guided out falling into their arms. In the unlikely event that a mare is pregnant with two foals, it is common that one does not survive. But Daisy had unusual luck. Moments later, the second baby, named Duet, was born. The little filly was tiny but breathing, a miracle. And she made it immediately clear to all that she was a determined individual. Within minutes she was standing and trying to nurse.

A precious gift of life

The precious gift of life was bestowed not once but twice. A year later the palomino colt, Saratoga Don Quixote and his cremello sister, Saratoga Duet thrive. “They now spend every day out all day and stay side by side only going to mom for a drink but spending most of their days grazing together and meeting the new foals as much as the new mom would allow,” Jenni says. “They are both very happy little souls who have brought us such joy, both very tame and enjoy human company and will be part of Saratoga forever. We consider them our miracle after a tough couple of years and they will never be for sale.” Watch the video to witness the birth of these miraculous twins.