Summer Catch-up: Te Puke's rare twin foals homeward-bound at last

Twin foals Whiz (left) and Pixie enjoying sunshine seven months after their dramatic arrival at a Te Puke equestrian centre. Photo / Supplied

A set of rare twin foals born near Te Puke which stunned animal experts at their arrival and survival continue to surprise months later.

Whiz and Pixie, a colt and filly, were born in May last year at Wakefield Equestrian on Te Matai Rd. They have beaten the odds by surviving.

The two foals still spend plenty of time at the Te Puke equestrian before their trip home to their owner's place in Thames.

Bridget Quinn said she was still preparing her property for their arrival. The foals were recovering at a property in Matamata after undergoing standard surgery at the local vets.

Once they are done there, Quinn's property should be fenced and ready for the new additions within the next couple of weeks.

She had hoped to have them home for Christmas.

Hayley-Grace Davis from Wakefield Equestrian with twin foals Pixie (left) and Whiz (right) and their mum. This photo was taken shortly after the foals were born, in May. Photo / John Borren

Quinn said she still has the foals' mother and another horse at Thames. She was looking forward to reuniting them, and she wasn't the only one.

"Everyone around here knows about them now. They are a bit of a novelty. Everyone at home is wanting to see them," Quinn said.

The foals were not expected to survive after their dramatic midwinter arrival into the world.

The odds of a horse giving birth to twins are one in 100. The chances of those twins then surviving are even lower.

While Pixie was as healthy as one could expect, Whiz was more challenged and required more care to stay alive.

"In the beginning, it was definitely touch-and-go for a moment," Quinn said.

"A lot of hard work went into keeping them alive."

These days, Whiz has grown, and both foals are happy and healthy, she said.

"They are fantastic," she said.