Webcam for foaling-advice please!

[mountainsandhorses]

Hi all, I know that some of you have web cams at your yard already- does anyone know a bit more about them. I live two miles or so from my yard but the yard has only had electricity for the last couple of year so this wil be a big deal. Anyone know where i need to start??? Thanks! ;D

[jules1]

I think you will struggle because of the distance. When we were looking into it I googled foaling alarms and foaling cctv, spoke to various companies who were all very helpful. We could get a webcam linked up directly to the tv but our yard is very close to the house.We didnt get one in the end and went for a foaling alarm which was brilliant. Again you will probably struggle with distance but I am really glad we had the alarm as we didnt miss a thing.

[mountainsandhorses]

Thanks Jules- I am starting to get the same impression afer many geeky convos with people who know about this kinda thing. Which foaling alarm did you get may I ask?? Thanks again...

[boothsdale]

It is possible but you would need to either have something at the yard to enable you to upload the live stream onto the net - this could either be a phoneline and computer at the yard or you would have to invest in a special camera (I think they're called IP cameras) that essentially have a built in mobile phone so can upload the video directly to the internet.

Our yard is at home and the cameras are wired directly into the house but I am only home at the weekend so mum and dad live stream the camera on the internet so I can share the sitting up duties and phone home if anything looks like starting. We live stream via www.myhorsecam.com/ and they were very helpful in advising us on what we needed and how to go about it.

[mountainsandhorses]

Thanks boothsdale that's very useful. I think I will have to go down the phone route as I will be reliant on using wireless internet connection. Hmm this is gonna cost.....

[elc]

We had a lovely lady(!) from the valuation office (business rates) here yesterday, & one point that arose was foaling monitors or CCTV - as these were ratable & we should be paying business rates on them!!!! have you ever heard such a load of twaddle in your life?

[brookfie]

If you are a distance away, a web cam is of no use. There is a gadget on the market (a microchip) which is stitched to the mare. When she begins to sweat, the chip dials (don't ask me how) your mobile number to warn you.

The best way of all is to either recognise the first stages of labour and sit up or send her to a yard which can foal her for you. Many people have lost both mare and foal because they have missed the foaling; by then it is too late.

[mountainsandhorses]

OK the chip sounds good, we had two mares foal last year and missed them- they went on the days we were not camping at the yard and didn't show signs. As this is my first foal for myself- I really want to be there for imprinting so don't want to send her away...I think the chip may be the best option. Thanks for your advice- much appreciated.

[astro]

Is there anyone out there who knows where i can get a foal cam/transmitter so i can keep a check on my maiden mare. We do live 8 miles away but im sure there must be some device, looked on internet and cant find anything any suggestions grateful. thanks

[harrythepig]

My then 12 year old daughter and I stayed at our yard every night for a month as my mare showed signs that things could happen (she lost some of her cervical plug) earlier than I'd have liked.
As it happend she went full term and although we had a camera streaming pics into our lorry we only got the camera a week before the birth.
Even if you are only 2 miles away you could see things happening at home and not make it to the yard in time. Please think about how you can be there in person. If we hadnt been there watching, things could have been very dangerous as my mare foaled up against a wall and it took 2 of us to get foal out.

[tudormanorstables]

Hi,

This is something I was looking into. Working in the security industry before being made redundant I worked closely with CCTV guys and I thought this to be a great idea for foaling mares.

We run many projects that would work the same way as the foaling camera's. You can dial in using the IP address and select and view all of your camera's onsite including the front gate and mare/foaling boxes. Depending on the type of technology you go for you can move the cameras around also and install microphones.

As for the chips to be sown in, its not a route I would use. Once this has been pulled out and a signal is alerted you have a very small amount of time to get there and plug it back in before it dies and you need to purchase another.