EquiPage or Breeder Alert

[wildhorses]

I am having trouble trying to decide which system to go with. They both seem to be very comparable systems. I am just wondering if one seems to work better than the other, has better features, better reliability, etc. Since it's a big investment, I want to be sure to make the right choice. Any advice, experiences, likes or dislikes with either system would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[minih]

I don't know which one is better, but I do have an equipage system and I love it. When I looked to buy, I liked the way the equipage fit under the halter better then the breeder alert. I do know the equipage people are very easy to work with and are very helpful with everything.

 

[sfmini]

Equipage by far. They have the BEST customer service, very responsive to your needs. The transmitter does fit better under the halter and doesn't get dunked in water buckets.

 

[Margot]

I love my equipage. Have had it about eight years, works well and they are wonderful to deal with.

 

[Davie]

Equipage--best feature I found was the position of the transmitter--under the mare's jaw (upper ring on the halter) and not lower down.

My friend has the Foal Alert (older one) and the units are larger and heavier and always seem to be in the way when the mare tries to eat or drink. Her barn has permanent feeder's attached to the stall walls and the mare's tend to get the foal alert caught on the rolled edge of the feeder (Not CAUGHT CAUGHT) but always bumping them until they realize they have them own.

I like the battery backup on the Equipage also, in case there is a power outage it will continue to operate for I believe 8 hours.

Another nice thing--the pouches are washable and not leather. After foaling season I take the unit down (leave the antenna up on the barn) clean it up, take the batteries out of the units and pager, wash the pouches and store everything (transmitters, pager, and covers) in a plastic bag along with new batteries for next year and when foaling time comes around it is ready to go.

One feature that it has that I didn't take advantage of is it's phone dialer. It will call several numbers that you input if you go next door for a few minutes or if you have a neighbor on standby if you work--it may cause some false alarms but better than having no one there to watch them--just set the dialer to call your cell phone, a neighbor, or you vet and in what order to dial.

When I bought mine at A Nationals several years ago, they had a special where you got and additional transmitter or the phone dialer at a discount price with the purchase of the system. I got the second transmitter. I hope to purchase another transmitter later this year and for the first time I can see when having the phone dialer could have been very handy this year so may invest in it as well.

Would not trade my Equipage for anything and it paid for itself the first year--I would have lost a mare and foal if I had not had it.

EQUIPAGE A+++ in my book

 

[Bess Kelly]

I have a breeder alert system, many years old and still works great. However, I do NOT use or even buy the leather pouches. Duct tape those rascals to the halters. No problems, fit well. I just switch halters when a mare has foaled.

:

Has anyone ever tried to see if the transmitter will pick up signals for either type on either transmitter

: Like, my Breeder Alert system -- if I added or borrowed a transmitter for part of season...you see? Really, there have been times when I needed only ONE more transmitter for a couple weeks

: My friend has same system BUT -- you know all mares are due "together" :bgrin We have loaned transmitters between us, however.

I've always wondered.

 

[Tony]

I have two Breeder Alerts and have used them many years with complete satisfaction.

 

[coopermini]

We bought the Equipage system last year. Paid for itself the first mare we used it on. We thought the transmitter might fit better but also liked the phone option to add later if we want. Yes we get a few false alarms but still better than trying to keep waking up on your own.

We had thought about the Foal Alert where they are sewn into the mare and separate when the mare starts to foal. One of the vets at the Equine hospital we have been going to said they will only work when something protruds from the mare ie: foot or nose. If the foal is malpresented enough it will not set it off and as he said that mare could be straining for hours if the owner is only waiting on the alarm.

Good luck and go for the Equipage!

Mark

 

[Jean_B]

I like my Breeder Alert -- and I also tape the pouch up to the throat latch strap so that it sits hi under the jaw. I especially like it after I learned (after 3 years .... I'm a slow learner) that all you have to do is hold the pager button for approx 30 seconds to reset the alarm, and you don't have to wait for the mare to raise her head. Do you know how many times I fell asleep waiting for the wench to raise her head before I learned that??! :new_shocked:

When I had a transmitter fail - they quickly replaced it.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

. I especially like it after I learned (after 3 years .... I'm a slow learner) that all you have to do is hold the pager button for approx 30 seconds to reset the alarm, and you don't have to wait for the mare to raise her head. Do you know how many times I fell asleep waiting for the wench to raise her head before I learned that??! :new_shocked:

When I had a transmitter fail - they quickly replaced it.

LOL I learned that a couple years ago thanks to Tony and it has been a life saver. My friend has a equipage and hers doesnt do that or she cant figure it out anyway.

I do like that the part the mare wears is smaller on the equipage and I have heard they have amazing customer service but.. my breeder alert has worked well for over 8+ years now I have had to replace a pager but that was before I learned the re set trick and wore out the on off button.

I do use the leather pouch although I guess I dont need to I use vet wrap over it to keep it to the halter and to make it a bit softer on the mare

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I bought the Equipage system last year, I liked that they have "mini" size transmitter to go on the halter, and also the Equipage was very slightly cheaper.

:

The pager is supposed to reset, if you push down on the switch, but I've not always had success in getting it to reset. I like that even if you put the pager on silent, and if you miss the alarm going off it will then beep every minute to let you know you missed it. There have been times I accidentaly put it on silent, and that feature alerted me regardless.

 

[lilfolks]

Count me as a Breeder Alert person and have found the equipment very satisfactory and saved some foals.

Customer service is excellent and I also use them for sick horses as well as for birthing so I get double duty from them. Have had them many years and no problems.

Joyce :aktion033:

 

[MBhorses]

:aktion033: we love our equipage.Great!!!

 

[lucky lodge]

Hi just wondering do these foaling alarms will work in australia

Thanks jenny

i did try to send them a email but it wont work

 

[bannerminis]

My friend got the equipage and after she was finished with it she gave to me to try and I have to say I found it great so I think I will be getting one for myself for next yr.

Shimmer liked to lie down a lot and lay flat out so I had a LOT of false alarms but keep the button pressed for 30 secs and its reset and you are good to go again.

I had the pager under my pillow as I have the baby in the room and the laptop beside the bed so I had beeping going off in my ear all night but it didnt wake the baby and I could look at the computer and see all is well, reset and back to sleep.

 

[AnnaC]

Sorry but I have never used either of them coz I refuse to leave halters on any of my horses for any reason. We simply sit up at night and use our eyes, arranging for a 'stand in' person normally for around 3 hours during the daytime so the 'watcher' can get some sleep. Works for us.

 

[lucky lodge]

Thanks thay sound like there great systoms but do thay work in australia

It says on there web page that thay have adapters for australia

But i got some clippers from america and bought the adapter and it still would not work

is anyone close to there store were you could ring them and find out for me thanks

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Neither. FoalWatch is the best system you could ever have. The others are prone to failure and false alarms, and overdependance.

 

[Sandy B]

I have a camera in my foaling stall and have used it for many years. Since we are expecting several mini foals next year I am going to invest in a halter alarm system too. We possibly could have saved one foal this year if we had had one on a mini mare we had just physically checked 30 minutes prior that had no signs of labor and happened to foal and not make it out of the sac. I have never missed one mare in my many,many years of foaling mares out, it was a first and only our 2nd mini to foal. We learned the hard way. I think any normal person needs sleep and since these are my daughter's foals or mine, it is our responsibility to keep watch. But we also need rest to be sane. I watch for physical changes in the mare and set my alarm every 90 minutes at night when the mare starts shaping up. When she gets closer I set my alarm every 30-60 minutes depending on signs. However, these mini mares do not follow the normal rules I have found out and I think to have a halter alarm is the best back up you can have without trying to go months on foal patrol with no sleep.

 

[Barnmother]

I purchased an Equipage system this year, along with the telephone dialer. I have to say it worked great! I had a mare that liked to lay out a lot so had some false alarms but opened an eye checked the camera and cleared the alert and went back to sleep. When it was time I was in the barn to assist a rough delivery (very very large foal). I now swear by Equipage, will make next year's foalings a lot safer.