A RARE pairing of "twins on twins" have been training together at a Herefordshire stud.

Identical 24-year-old twins Hannah and Greta Vekerk have been riding non-identical twin horses called Shuwaiman al Kebir and Shuwaiman al Saghir.

Hannah has been training the larger of the twins, Shuwaiman al Kebir for the Arabian racing at Hereford Racecourse this Saturday.

The horses, which are now eight, were born at Pearl Island Arabians, a stud in Preston on Wye, and are the offspring of a mare and a stallion from rare desert horse families of The Royal Stud of Bahrain.

Jenny Lees, who owns and runs the stud, said: "Mares rarely carry twins to full term. I think the odds are 1 in 10,000 chance of carrying and delivering live twin foals and the odds are further stacked against them surviving the first few weeks.

"Not only did these two boys survive but the elder one (by five minutes) is now a successful race horse competing in Arabian horse racing here in the UK and will be running at Hereford on July 4."

Hannah and Greta came to the stud when they were 16 to do work experience, after which they went on to Aberystwyth to study an equine degree.

When they graduated they took their first jobs at Pearl Island Arabians.

Shuwaiman al Saghir, the smaller horse, is ridden for pleasure but will be competing later in endurance rides.

Mrs Lees said: "As he was so much smaller we have taken more time on him and have not pushed him too hard."

Shuwaiman al Kebir will be ridden at Hereford by 18-year-old Bradley Paris-Crofts who rode him to a win at Wolverhampton in May. Bradley rides all of the stud's race horses and will have four rides from Pearl Island Arabian Stud at Hereford. The first race is at 1pm.