More on Trouble & Surprise - My Arabian Twin Horses

In case there are those of you who don't know, I had twin Arabian foals born in May of 2006. It was a very difficult birth and the mare and twins are lucky to be alive. Their complete story starts here. Reflections on Foaling Season 2006 - The Twins

Well, it's been a while since I have posted anything about my twin Arabian horses, Scandalous Trouble and Scandalous Surprise. Wiola of Freelance Instructor 's Diary asked about them recently and I promised a post was in the offing.

The problem is that something is always in the offing in my brain. It's getting them down on paper that can be difficult and I have this aversion to taking pictures of my horses in the winter months. They are so shaggy and unlike themselves. What has this to do with the twins you say? Well, I know I need current pictures but how can I take pictures when their hair is longer than their cute little faces. Well! that's how it seems to me.

But, fortunately, we had visitors here recently. The twins, of course, were the hit of the farm tour and I could not resist taking pictures of the little varmints doing what they do best. That is entertaining all who worship at their feet.

That's right! Worship seems to be the word that fits. The only person I've found to not become totally enthralled by the little monsters is my soon to be sister-in-law who just so happens to be absolutely terrified of horses......ALL horses. It doesn't matter about size or shape, if it's an equine she is petrified.

She giggled at the twins at our annual open house when they ripped around the paddock showing off. But then she was at least fifty feet away from them with a fence and crowd of people in between. She'd have been much happier had they been on the television instead of in her physical presence in anyway. But I digress.........back to the twins.

So we had these visitors, they came to visit as part of the AHA Discovery Farm program. I had no clue if they even knew that I had twins on my place at all, unlike most of the visitors here. We went through all the barns (yes ALL, I have all these little barns with horses stuffed everywhere!) looking at all the horses. The twins were the last place we stopped.

As I walked into the twins' area, I asked if they knew that I had twin horses. The heads nodded and smiles spread across their faces. They most certainly were aware and like the rest of our visitors, they were captivated by the very thought of twin horses.

Sometimes I wonder if the twins' personalities are the result of all that early handling that happened because of their medical situation or if the steady stream of laughing giggling visitors that have followed since their birth. I doubt that I'll ever have the answer but it's clear from their behavior that both Trouble and Surprise expect to be the center of attention.

When they lived in the same stall together, it was easy to show them off at the same time. Each would fight for position at the doorway wanting to be more important than the other one. Now, with them in separate stalls it's not so easy to accommodate their need to be in the spotlight at the same time. And heaven forbid that one of them get more attention than the other. The barn might fall should that ever happen!




Fortunately for us, on this day each visitor had her favorite. Surprise, the black filly, was the apple of the eye of the "black" breeder and the non-Arabian person couldn't help but be captivated by Trouble.

Surprise thoroughly enjoyed the hugs and kisses, although she did keep one eye on the door looking for a chance to escape. For some reason the filly's evil intent just seemed to add to her charm for the visitor. Surprise made sure that she was indeed the woman's favorite by cuddling up to here even as she sidled her way towards the door.

Trouble has his own kind of charm. He's got that male inquisitive thing going on where he must play or be played with at each and every moment. If he's not looking to see what he can grab of one's clothing, he's looking for ways to draw you into his play. Don't ask me how it got started but the next thing I knew the colt was sticking out his tongue for his visitor to scratch. She was giggling and accommodating at the same time. Enraptured with delight at the thought of the slimy little game. How could I NOT break out the camera?

The visitors did trade places at one point. After all, no one can come and NOT visit BOTH twins. But each left with their favorite and Trouble and Surprise are still convinced that they are the best!