I spent the last week, along with thousands of other people all over the world, worrying and waiting anxiously for a little mini-mare named Chantilly, quite overdue, to foal.
Chantilly and Snowflake, with her little blanket on.Is it my mare? No. But after I started watching, I became absorbed in the wait for this sweet little mare to foal. She's on a farm in South Carolina, currently covered in snow and ice, and as if it's not bad enough worrying about your own livestock, now, through the power of the internet, you can fret, worry, and comment about animals all the way across the country ;-)
In fact, with the power of the internet and social networking, I was able to share the birth of this foal with relatives and friends from California to New York, all of us commenting, ooh and awing with delight and wonder.
Here is the link to the live WebCam: http://www.barnmice.com/group/marestareviewers
but be forewarned, this site is very addictive! ;-)
At the moment, Chantilly and Snowflake, the foal born Sunday evening, 1/9/11 are featured, but I believe it will change as other mares become close to foaling. (And also, right now there is a link to a replay of Snowflake's birth.)
Also, if you go to the main http://www.marestare.com/ page and click on "Due Dates" at the top, you'll go to a calendar with several more farms and animals due to foal. Then you'll never get anything done!
But as much as I'm making light of this, it was truly an awesome experience to be able to share the birth of a foal via the internet, because birth, no matter how many times you may have seen it, is always a miracle to me.
Have any of you used a Webcam or other camera to watch your horses? Did anyone else watch this birth?
5 comments:
At my previous barn there was a webcam set to the birthing stall. I remember emailing the owner late at night on the 4th of July that her mare was either being frightened by fireworks or in labor. Turns out she was in labor. This barn also had a webcam pointed at the arena. I live about 15 minutes away, so I would check the webcam before I left for the barn to determine if the arena was to crowded. When I broke my collar bone I could watch my horse being worked for me from home. Loved having the webcam available.
wilsonc - I can really see where webcams are quite valuable, in all of your cases. Most especially if you don't live close to your animals, but even if the barn is away from the house. Because horses can get themselves in trouble in the blink of an eye. Glad to hear of your success story with it.
I am so totally addicted to Marestare. I have a friend with minis that are due starting Feb...and I'll have it on. Love it! What a great thing!
What fun Linda! One more way to spend time away from writing--hey, I can refer to this as research.
HorsesandTurbos and Alison - Yes, these webcams are great. Births are awesome, but watching the little ones run and buck and play is just as fun. Very addicting ;)
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