Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

From: <pennbo@bbv.net>
> How many foals are you expecting?

Only 3 foals (Paints) this year. 2 are already here, born on 2/7 and 2/18.
Both colts. First one a buckskin overo, the 2nd a solid sorrel. Foal pix
(for those interested) are on www.CEOates.com/foals.html

Those into technology might get a grin out of my foalcam. 2 cameras in each
foaling stall allow me to monitor from the house. I capture that video
transmission and put it online - caused a huge stir in the horse world back
in '99 when I first did this so my partner/daughter could monitor the
pregnant mares online from her home 20 minutes away while I slept. Lots of
other people wanted to watch, too! Now there are many "foalcams" online,
complete with foalcam addicts watching ... and potentially watching the mare
foal.

I also added a Chat to my web site so people can Chat live while they're
watching foalcams. I've had as many as 45 people in my Chat at one time -
literally from all over the world - watching one of our mares foal. A great
rooting section! ;)

I send my daughter down to the barn with the mare, carrying a FRS radio so
she can communicate with me. I stay at the computer and manipulate the
cameras to zoom in as the mare pushes the foal out, report news from the
barn to people on the Chat, change the caption on the online foalcam image
so others are updated, notify discussion groups, update the web site, etc.
Things tend to get pretty wild! :)

Anyone curious is welcome to visit. Start with info on the mares and sires
on www.CEOates.com/webcam.html or go directly to the Chat page on
www.CEOates.com/chat/ and launch the Chat and/or foalcam from there.

Our last foal is due 3/6. Other than looking *very* pregnant Honey doesn't
look anywhere close yet to foaling, but I suspect I'll move her into a
foaling stall (access to turnout) for monitoring this weekend. Some
interesting history here - Honey is a mare we produced in our own breeding
program in 2000. I even have video online of her as a newborn, visiting with
my granddaughter at the stall gate. <g> This will be Honey's first foal, and
our first foal out of a product of our own breeding program. And she'll be
foaling in the same stall where she was born. ;)

My "other" identity is ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
CEOates Ranch
www.CEOates.com
Live foaling stall camera & Chat on
www.CEOates.com/webcam.html