Meet Majus And Majician: Twin Horses With An Incredible Survival Story

Do you know what's better than one gorgeous Arabian gelding? TWO Arabians that just so happen to be twins.

Looking at Majus and Majician today, they are stunning examples of strong, healthy horses. Our eyes are drawn to their glistening coats and near-identical markings. Photos of them in motion emphasize their strength and symbolize the grace and poise that's so often associated with their esteemed breed.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilson

These five-year-old geldings are near identical, and it's no surprise that they've captured the hearts of thousands of admirers. But like almost every pair of twin horses born into this world, their survival was never guaranteed.

Twin Horse Fun Fact: Did you know Majus' nickname is Luke, and Majician is called Bo?

The Miracle of Twins

Twin horses are incredibly rare. If both twins are born alive, they have a slim chance at surviving their first few weeks. Majus and Majician are rare in the sense that they're surviving twin horses, but there's something even more special about their story.

Jennifer Wilson, the twins' owner and breeder, never expected her mare to give birth to twins. She had a vet perform routine sonograms right after and 15 days after breeding. In both cases, there were no signs of twins. The images consistently revealed only one developing follicle. The pregnancy progressed normally, and Jennifer opted to have no further tests later on.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilson

When the mare gave birth 11 days earlier than predicted, everyone was stunned. 

Jennifer told iHeartHorses,

"I couldn't have been more shocked. When I first saw them, I naturally assumed they were dead. Then I could see they were breathing, so I figured we'd likely have to put them down. It was a very complex emotional time. "

The reason the sonograms did not show twins is that Majus and Majician shared a single embryonic sac after a single ovulation. DNA tests, however, show they are not identical. So that means they are not a result of a split cell developing in one sac. They were two cells that somehow managed to fully develop in a single sac. Jennifer is still not sure how their birth was even possible, but their survival has been an inspiration to thousands.

Survivors

As the shock of their birth wore off, Jennifer knew caring for twin horses would not be easy. For the first two days, everything went generally well. Both the tiny foals had weak joints and pasterns, but they were nursing and standing. Jennifer said it felt like a miracle.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilson

On the third day, however, their health took a dramatic turn for the worst. After treating the foals for digestive issues at home, Jennifer was forced to transport the colts to an emergency facility. Jennifer describes that trip as an "epic trailer ride in torrential downpours with no windshield wipers." It was a risky move, but it was exactly what needed to be done.

Tests confirmed Majus and Majician were suffering from a salmonella-like bacteria that was being passed through their mother's milk. Even with a diagnosis and a team of specialized professionals, the boys had a slim chance at survival. They received emergency fluids, antibiotics, and needed to stay at the hospital for over a week.

Even when they came home, Jennifer wasn't confident they'd survive. She said,

"I don't think I really took a deep breath and assured myself that they would be fine until they were about six weeks old."

An Incredible Team

While the first few weeks were not easy for the twin horses, they grew healthy and strong.  There are subtle differences that help Jennifer tell her twins apart, but their physical similarities are striking. When they're photographed together, Jennifer says it sometimes looks like they are one horse with two heads and eight legs.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilson

Their "twin-ness" is as undeniable as their elegant good looks, but their personalities couldn't be any more different.  According to Jennifer, Majus is as bold and confident as Majician is timid and restrained. While Majus is prone to making trouble and destroying everything he can his teeth on, Majician can't help but spook at his own shadow.

Jennifer said,

"He [Majician] is quite literally scared of his own shadow and has even came completely unglued one day at his own fart. That was hilarious! Majician takes a much longer time to pick up concepts, but is always looking to please."

Despite their differences, Majus and Majician are a team. They each bring unique strengths to their partnership, and Jennifer can't imagine one without the other.

A Growing Fandom

The twin horses have stuck together as they gradually grew in fame. Their popularity started on social media, but the boys now star in their own coloring story book and five-star rated novella. They've also been racking up ribbons at horse shows.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilson

Now that the twin horses are strapping young geldings, Jennifer is looking forward to starting their under saddle training. 

"I think they would be gorgeous western pleasure geldings. It would so amazing to see them competing side by side in the show ring one of these days!  It is imperative to me that they learn to "go with the flow", that they can be ridden on the road and in a variety of non traditional settings as well as in large crowds- they need to become awesome ambassadors for our great breed! "

At this time, Jennifer has no plans to sell her gorgeous twin horses. Majus and Majician will continue with their training, and you can expect them to shine bright in the show ring.

You can get your own Majus and Majician merchandise at this year's BreyerFest, and don't forget to follow them on Facebook!