A priviledge NOT a right

[backwoodsnanny]

After reading Kaykay's post and also reading what happened with Dreamer I decided it was time to address the fact that we are so lucky to be able to watch these mares if we want to. When someone puts their mares out on weefoal or marestare they invite the world into their barn.

But that said it seems it way too often ends in people thinking it is a right to see what is going on or to fault the owners for whatever may be happening .

I just thought I would remind all that unless we are there we cant KNOW what really is happening and the welfare of the horse and the owner has to come BEFORE the excitement and pleasure of those watching.

We are there by invitation only and if it is right for the owner to turn off a camera or sleep with their mare we shouldnt question motives since we dont know what is REALLY happening there in that stall only what we think is happening.

Breeding and foaling out miniature horses is not for the faint of heart and often things dont end the way we wish it would and we cant know just by watching a camera what that owner is seeing when they are there in the stall and as proven with Dreamer we also cant know the connection an owner has with their horse so try to remember it is a priviledge not a right to be there.

 

[MBhorses]

I wish I could watch others mares, but I always get x's on my computer no matter what.I think folks need to think of others during their time of need.We shouldn't judge folks if we are not there.

Dreamer is in our prayers along with her owners.

 

[minie812]

WELL SAID

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

HERE HERE!!!!

 

[whitney]

I agree. But my heart ALWAYS drops when they turn them off.

 

[kaykay]

thanks for your post. I do understand their frustration as people had been watching with me for days. And I know they worry when the cam is off. But some things are just out of our control. I honestly thought for sure my foal was going to be born dead and didnt think anyone really wanted to see that. Thank GOD I had a happy ending but I just wasnt sure.

Thank you guys so much for understanding

 

[litteangels]

I would like to add something here and would like to thank each every barn owner that lets us into there homes for this wonderful occasion. I have learned so much this year by watching each mare foal because you just never know what the out come is going to be. We all wish they where all happy ones but I have watched some that where not but that was my choice and it is the barn owners choice to turn the camera off if they don't want us to see the outcome.

Great big hugs to each every barn owner that allows us into there home.

THANK YOU

 

[Jill]

After reading some snide comments from people over the years regarding cameras, I doubt mine will ever be public and at the most shared with a few close friends. I just don't "need" any speculation nor for people to see me out there doing checks in my PJ's. For those of you who do share, I appreciate being able to watch and have even gotten to see a few that would become my own born thanks to the public cameras.

 

[user 488]

thanks for your post. I do understand their frustration as people had been watching with me for days. And I know they worry when the cam is off. But some things are just out of our control. I honestly thought for sure my foal was going to be born dead and didnt think anyone really wanted to see that. Thank GOD I had a happy ending but I just wasnt sure.

Thank you guys so much for understanding

Kay and others. What you do with YOUR camera is nobody else's business. Backwoods was dead on. It's a privilege and not a right. Of course there are people who are genuine and worry when the camera goes off but they should be thoughtful enough to let it go and wait for an update It's a darn shame that some people sit in judgment. Takes all kinds.

For those few "know it alls" there are many more that appreciate you opening up your life and home to them.

 

[minie812]

I might add that Freelands Miniature Horse Farm has cams up and running so you can watch the Gypsy Vanners (absolutley beautiful horses) and her mini cam (Fiesta became a daddy again last night) and another is due shortly. And Beth is wonderful about updating every night as too who is doing what...www.freelandminiaturehorses.com It is a blast to watch and she also has a forum set up too (one big happy family)

 

[HaazeMinis]

I agree!

We are also a part of Marestare now, however we are waiting for our new cameras to arrive to post a thread on our mares on Marestare, but in the mean time family and friends our watching our cams. They are not the best cameras and show black and white on the web but since they are literally outdated cameras used 24/7- 365 days a year since 2005 they are wore out.

. Anyone who would like to watch just contact me for the link if you would like to watch before the new cameras get here.

Just be warned they are not the best.

but you can view our Filly we had born yesterday though.

Hopefully our new cams will be here by the time one of our other mares are due in a couple of weeks. We will start a thread real soon with daily updates and photos of progress too...

so stay tuned!

We have made the personal decision to leave our cams up during foaling (Good, Bad & Ugly) unless of course it is a gruesome delivery and/or if our vet does feel confortable being on cam during a rough delivery then it will be turned off.

It was a tough decision to make, however we feel that if anyone one is watching that does not like what they see they can close the camera down.

If we get alot of negativity if one of our foaling goes bad then we may change our mind, but in the mean time the cam will stay up.

Marestare and Wee Foal and the other hosting sites have become better and better with its members tending not to be as judgmental as they were in the years past. 99% of the posts from members are very supportive of the cam owners.

There is always a few bad apples in the bunch, but for the most part those "people" are usually dealt with accordingly if they are caught!

I myself can vouch for Marestare Owner/Operator (Heather) & Tech Support (Rich)!

The Moderaters are THE BEST

! They are a FABLULOUS GROUP of PEOPLE! KUDOS TO THEM!!

Moderators there are on top of everything it seems

Jeri

 

[Joanne]

We are brand new (just this week) to having our cameras public. We have had our cameras up for most of the 15 years we have been breeding minis and we did think long and hard about doing this and talked with many horse people who have done this.

Some of the comments made us very concerned about opening this up to the public, especially those that said people called them in the middle of the night to tell them their mare was laying down and foaling, when the mare was actually sleeping and the owner knew what was happening.

I saw my first birth of a full sized paint horse in Idaho a month ago. I had the same adrenaline rush as birthing one of my own and the same worry in my heart as if I was there with the owner. She had to reposition the foal and I knew that it was taking too long and she was struggling. She was too busy at that moment to turn off the cameras. I know that feeling. You are there alone and just doing your best. She did have a successful birth and I called her the next day and told her how honored I was to be apart of her birth. Personally I felt like a voyer.

We all know our mares will birth eventually, but that the foal will be alive is a different story. Saving the mare becomes the important part if things go wrong. Having the phone lines free to contact the veterinarian is also of utmost importance.

I am hoping all horse owners will respect that we are opening up our homes, and you will see us with unbrushed hair, or as Jill said, in pj's. The stall may be clean, but don't check out our kitchen sinks or laundry. We are horse people. The horses come first.

Having said that, we are looking forward to sharing the experiences. My first one on live camera was yesterday at 6:30 am. The right hoof was over the head and had to be repositioned, then the birth progressed smoothly. For anyone watching this was all in the cameras eye.

Thank you for starting this important post. Maybe it should be added to the live foaling camera site for background?

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Feel free to do whatever anyone wants with the post We do not yet have live cameras but have been considering it as even with shifts it is hard for all of us to provide the 24/7 coverage that breeding requires and I mean we literally have someone watching our cameras 24/7 and have not missed a birth in the last 4 years mostly thanks to Scoopiedoo my daughter who stays up all night works all day and sleeps during the evening during foaling season. I did think with some of the negativity lately that All should remember that we are guests in everyones barns during a very emotional time.

 

[Laura]

[SIZE=12pt]Amen! When we have new barn set up, I'll consider a foaling cam, even if just for the extra sets of eyes watching for impending foaling

BUT, it will be at our discretion and judgment as to WHEN it goes off. My kids will play a major part there. I don't mind people watching my horses....people I don't know (because let's face it, the links get spreas whether we intend it or not) watching my KIDS is something else entirely...[/SIZE]

 

[Suzie]

I agree 100% with backwoodsnanny. We have done live cameras now for 2 years and will continue I am sure. We thought long and hard too. We get middle of the night calls and we try to be gracious in our answers even half-asleep. We really don't mind. For us, we would rather get up and look than miss something. We plan on leaving ours up and going unless things get too gruesome because I know a lot of under age kids watch too. I really did not realize how many until I got several emails from younger folks about our foals. If we turn ours off it is not because I don't want an adult to miss something, it is because I don't want an 8 year old child to have to see something he/she might not understand. And I hope the adults would understand this and appreciate it.

We love having people watch and email and call. We love sharing the experience of a new foal with the world. We feel we have been blessed with being allowed to do this and don't mind sharing.

 

[sedeh]

I agree completely! Good thread! I enjoy being able to look at foaling cams and truely appreciate those that have gone to the expense and trouble of setting them up....but if they feel the need to turn them off that is certainly their right to do so! I would probably forget the camera is on......and Lord knows I don't look my best in the middle of the night!!

 

[JanBKS]

Ditto here too, Thank You Backwoodsnanny.

I for one have had my cams up since 2002, and my first to foal were my two Quarter Horses, my older mare had her just fine, then a few days later came my Pally 3 years old, it was a horrible delivery baby was stuck and the cams went on good or bad, no time to pull the plug, at that time I had only a refresh cam, then with so much fluid in her lungs we literally had to put her over our shoulder and shake her down, that was also all on cam, I can just imagine the comments back then.

Lacy held her after birth and was in a lot of pain she would not bond with the Filly nor allow it to nurse, she threw the foal across the stall with her head, we took the foal away and milked her. Vet was out the next day and that was all on cam again we tried to get her to nurse the baby, nope didn't work.

So I for one can appreciate the cams as my Sister in Alabama called to tell me my the Pally was foaling I had fallen asleep watching her on the computer.

I have 5 minis due next month and Heather does have permission to pull the plug in case it gets to bad, but for the most part they Will stay on.

My cams run the property in and out of the barns 24/7 unless I have storms or they have gone down without me knowing.

Feel free to call anytime if you think something is not right. The mares in waiting will be in the barns starting May 1st or before, as soon as I finish building it. My numbers Will be on the post I do when I put them all under cam, soon I hope, they are also on my scrolling message on the cam.

Thanks for caring.

Jan

Bks Coppertop Ranch

 

[Basketmiss]

Amen to that!!

I totally agree!!

I am so glad so many people do let us see into their lives BUT it is not a right of ours. It is their choice if ,what and when they want us to see..

Most people are good apples and want to be educated and we have such love in our hearts for all horses, not just our own.. It is great to see whats going on... But only at the descresion of the owners...