Two identical twin horses each won a BE100 section at Rackham Horse Trials – with a fifth of a penalty between their scores.
Sacha Hourigan rode Caroline Richardson’s Twice As Nice IV (Ernie, pictured above) and Double Act IV (Eric, below) to victory on 16 June, finishing on her dressage scores of 28.8 and 29 respectively.
The twins are by Zenturio and out of Mrs Richardson’s mare Hyanie d’Aubrie, who was first scanned as not in foal, then confirmed as pregnant but one of the embryos was “hiding” behind a cyst.
Double Act
Luckily, Mrs Richardson was on the scene when “Annie” foaled, and was able to pull Ernie, the second colt, out, as he was “bent double”, saving his life.
Both foals thrived and now the only difference between them is their height – Ernie is 16hh and Eric 16.2hh – and the fact one has a snip on his nose.
“But of course you can’t see the snip on the pictures so we have to put different coloured boots on them so people can tell the difference!” Sacha told H&H.
“It was only Ernie’s second BE100, Eric’s done a few more, but it was a lovely all-round performance by both of them.”
Both horses are ridden in the same bit, but Sacha says she tries not to compare them too much.
“People ask me which is better but as a rider, I have to treat them as individuals,” she said.
“Eric is tough and a bit arrogant, and Ernie is tough but might have a bit of a worry. There’s no love lost between them though. I said to Eric [at Rackham] ‘Your brother’s just won’, so he had to do it too!
“You always hope each horse is going to be a top one but these two have got talent, they’re tough, they’re very nice horses, and we’ll see how they go.”
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Mrs Richardson told H&H the twins are “amazing”.
“Several vets have seen them and can’t believe they’re twins as they’re so big and strong,” she said.
“They were a miracle from the word go.”
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