Horse Illustrated Magazine

At just a week old, Bonnie and Clyde are making headlines.

Named for the infamous bank-robbing duo, this Bonnie and Clyde are a pair of equine twins. The brother and sister are both palominos with wide white blazes, just like their mom, Sophie. They’re more than just a pair of cute faces, though. They’re an unusual phenomenon in the horse world.

The horses’ owner, Jenny Tucker, breeds Quarter Horses at her farm in Texas. She wasn’t expecting to see twins when Sophie went into labor on May 11. Twins are extremely rare in horses, and when they do occur, one or both of the foals often die before or shortly after birth, and the pregnancy and foaling can be risky for the mare.

Fortunately, Sophie is doing just fine a week after her twins’ birth, and the siblings are doing OK under the care of Elgin Veterinary Hospital, near Austin. Both foals had IVs and feeding tubes for a time, according to a report from KXAN. Bonnie, the livelier of the two foals, now appears to be thriving. Clyde is having a tougher time, but vets are increasingly optimistic about his odds.

The foals will remain in the vet hospital’s care until June. A friend of Tucker’s has launched a GoFundMe to help offset the unexpected vet bills that come with the long-term vet care for the twins. Tap here to see photos of the foals and their mom and to find out how you can donate to help with their care.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com