ALL CAMS GOING PRIVATE!!!!

[birds75]

I think it is terrible that people have caused all the drama. I have been watching the cams for three years, but only have been chatting and posting occasionally for the last year. Only once have I ever even picked up the phone and got ready to dial, which was the other night when Sophie started foaling and I was sure no one had come in yet. Before I could finish dialing, someone appeared.
I have complete faith in the farms. Everyone does things differently. I think everyone needs to remember that the people who have the cams generally have been doing this for years and years. I would never call to criticize or bother an owner. I always check the message boards or chat first. If cams are down, I generally chalk it up weather or the horses being outside. I would never contact an owner about it, I am surprised others would. I certainly would understand people wanting their cams private with all this nonsense. I hope it does not happen, but foaling season is stressful enough without having outsiders poking their noses in where it does not belong.

Good luck to all the farms this year! I personally want to thank each of them for allowing me this personal glimpse into your homes.

[Franny - FNB Ranch]

I've added this graphic to my message board and the upate scroll on my cam page. Maybe it'll help get the idea to the mean-spirited critics out there.



Anyone wanting to use the graphic for their site is welcome to it. Just copy it to your computer so that it doesn't draw on my bandwidth, please. ;D

[rockinbpaints]

Thanks Heather & Franny - I've already put it on my board!

[astradawn]

I just want to thank all the mare owners and cam owners, this has been a wonderful thing for me. I personally would never think to call the owner or post a nasty coment, i always look for a mod and ask them what they think. I think its the best way as they have been doing this alot longer then i have. I really hope that it doesnt come to the cams all being private, but if that was to happen it will be due to people having no respect for owners! Its them that know the mare and do what works for them.
Thank you to Heather and all the marestare cams. I really love this site, for its open mindedness. Again i really hope that the cams dont have to go private.

[roxytx]

I just want to say that I enjoy being invited in to watch an owner's cam. I consider it the same as being invited into their home and I am thankful that they are sharing their animals with me. I have mostly lurked/sometimes posted on Dar's board for years now and I totally agree with what she says.

[Golden Girl]

First of all, I appreciate you Heather & the Mare Stare Board! At this time of year when foaling season is cranking wide open, I enjoy the camaraderie of other horsey people like myself. I especially LOVE watching the mares foal. I get so much out of being able to attend the foalings, both educationally & emotionally
We 'professional' horse people know to keep our wits about us. We can't get all emotionally excited over difficult situations that present themselves when working with our horses. Unfortunately it takes years of experience to attain this, and the average person just won't ever 'get it'.
People that are not true 'Horse people' really don't have a clue just how 'in our blood' horses our! This is not just a hobby, it is a 'life style choice', and as we all know variation in life styles abound! That is the other issue that the average person can't seem to understand. We all love our horses, we take care of them, breed them, train them, etc. we just have our own ways of doing it. My way works for me, and not necessarily anyone else!
I appreciate 99.99% of the people that I have come across here at Mare Stare. I enjoy knowing & chatting with them. The few I don't, I avoid or ignore . (I personally hate conflict & avoid it as much as I can)
Rest assured that I will personally 'head off' any conflict that might present it self to me on Mare Stare. With 40 solid years under my belt of having horses in my life, I am as steady as a rock, and will keep me wits about me! And as always will help if asked. Please do not let the few ruin it for the majority.

* I am considering hooking up Mare Stare for Cookie the year so that I can have the Stares watch her for me ;D I will definitely post a warning about unnecessary calls as this foal will be Cookies 3rd, and I want it to be a good experience for all ;D

[morabilityranch]

Oh Heather I like the My Barn My Rules sign ... LOL.. I have that sign hanging up in my barn. Can you put that on my Mare Stare webpage somewhere or can I do that from my end? I would love to have that on my page ;D I am loving my barn camera and never want to have to go private with it or my phone number. My family and friends who live away from me are enjoying it also and they call me to say I saw you on the cam. I won't mind calls either from people concerend my mare might be in labor or in some other kind of trouble as long as they are not being critical or mean, I wanted to be online so other eyes could be watching when mine might not be.

[wisteriafarms]

Yes Heather, you sure got my attention!!

I do not have a cam myself, and I found MareStare by way of someone who DOES have a cam who I met on another forum. Someday I do hope to breed horses, and I have learned so much more than I can imagine through the graciousness of the folks here. It is terrible that people have the audacity to call an owner and criticize their way of doing things. I hope none of my posts have ever been taken as criticism. If they have, I sincerely apologize. I try to reread anything I say to make sure it doesn't come across wrong, and have cancelled several comments before posting simply because I wasn't sure they would be taken as intended. I also try to adopt the 'wait a few minutes and see if someone with more experience comments' attitude. But to call someone or email them to criticize? I can't imagine what makes those people think they have the right.

Heather, your idea for the Q&A topic is great. Many times I see or read something that makes me wonder about something. But I hesitate to ask because I worry that it will be construed as questioning THAT farm. It never is, but I can see how timing is everything. So I will definitely be using that thread.

To everyone with a cam...THANK YOU!! Thank you for your generosity, your hospitality, your teachings, and your patience with those of us who are learning. Thank you for sharing your private celebrations of these miraculous births.
Thank you to everyone who answers questions without being condescending, and who are happy to teach the rest of us.

I think if the rest of us see a mean-spirited post and defend the barn owner, either on the board or by PM, it will seriously cut back on these occurences. I hope so. MareStare is great in part because you don't have to have a cam to watch...it is so educational. I would hate to see that disappear.

Julie

[tinypony]

i can not believe that there are some people/viewers out there that REPEATEDLY harrass cam owners for what they are doing. i've been watching marestare for over a year now and can not thank heather and all of the other barn owners enough for allowing me to witness the amazing thing of equine birth. when i first started watching i knew almost NOTHING about foalings and i have learned SOOOO much from this website!!!! it would kill me to have cam owners turn their cams to private because of the stupidity in some other individuals. in all of the foalings that i have seen/read about (and there have been a LOT) never once did i question the acts committed by mare owners. they know their animals and the birthing process along with their particular situation way better than us outsiders can begin to comprehend therefore they are allowed to do things their own way.

it is so unfortunate that these amazing people who share their barns with us are punished due to several individuals who think they know what is right. as heather and others have said it is a PRIVELAGE for us to view these foalings -- one that i am extremely grateful for. i hope anyone harassing an owner straightens out..... i would hate to think what foaling would be without this website.

[devotee]

I keep wanting to respond to this thread, but the whole problem is just so depressing for me that I open it, read everything, and then despair. But there are a few things I would like to add to what has already been said.

First, I believe heart and soul that horses are a treasure because they have so much to teach us, if we will just stop and OBSERVE them. People who want to impose pre-set attitudes, formulas, and expectations should not be around horses, in my opinion. The larger lesson is that horses teach us to respect everything and to observe carefully before we act. My favorite riding coach (who was Sally Swift's mentor!) taught us that "when a horse does something you didn't expect, sit down, ride the trot for a few paces, and ask yourself: WHY DID THE HORSE DO IT THAT WAY?" For me, this was a life lesson.

So, everybody, sit down and ride the MB for a few paces before you post (or phone). If you see something on a cam you don't expect, ask yourself why the folks are doing it that way. Maybe you'll learn something.

Also, I have made a few phone calls during the year or so I've been watching cams. In every case, there was good reason to call (a couple of colic cases, a cast mare, a requested suggestion for treatment, and a couple of foalings). In every case, I cannot tell you how relieved I was to be able to contact somebody about what I was seeing, and in every case, owners were grateful and gracious. If I didn't have that option of calling to report an emergency, I really could not watch the cams.

Last summer, when very few people were watching cams, a mare colicked very badly, and I could not find a phone number or Web site. For the rest of my life, I shall recall the relief I felt when another Marestarer (who subsequently left Marestare because of some rudeness on the MB) found the number in an old thread and posted it for me. We saved that mare's life. I have felt ever since that I owe that fellow Marestarer a huge debt of gratitude, and I miss her so very much. But I write all this to emphasize that, as horse-lovers, we do become involved with the welfare of the horses and become emotionally invested in them. We are helpless enough, when trouble strikes. If we had no way to report it (after carefully evaluating it through all means), I couldn't risk watching.

[cntry20lvr]

The bad people always have to run it for the people that really enjoy this and mean well. Hope all those mean comments and harassing phone calls stop.

[brookhaven]

I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet...little "x" in upper right hand corner...if you don't like what you see - use it. If you think you know it all, then move on to something else...

As a cam owner and miniature horse breeder, I depend on Marestare and the wonderful people who are a vital part of it. I open my barn and my life to the internet because I live by myself and as many from last year know, I tend to shut off the Equipage alarm and fall right back to sleep and forget to reset it. (I know no one else does that!!!) I have met many wonderful horse people here and even named one of my last years foals for someone I met here at Marestare. I also have learned a great deal from watching other farms and how they do things and yes, everyone does something different. There are no set rules. What works for some may not for others. So ZIP IT!

There are many of us cam owners who are not only doing you a favor by inviting you into our barns, but mainly are doing this because we rely on Marestare for help. I had my cam up last year and had no problems with people harrassing me. Yes, I had a couple of calls from people that couldn't see what was going on due to fuzzy cams (which have now been replaced). But I thanked them, as I'd rather have a call that was a mistake than have a problem and no one call. HOWEVER, for someone to call a farm owner to complain, criticize, recommend (without being asked) is just not appropriate. LET IT GO!!! USE THE X!!!

I personally will use this thread to thank Heather, Saddlebredlover, Melanie, Angie, Jimbo, and Rick, and the other moderators and many devoted fans for providing this space for those of us that truly need and support Marestare.

Please respect us, our knowledge and our life. I personally have over 40 years of horse experience and have foaled over 20 mares. I'm still learning, but not ignorant...so treat me and my fellow cam owners with respect.

As Marestare has grown, so have the growing pains. Heather, et al, are the most respected, diligent, hard working people I know. PLEASE respect this site, its owners, its supporters and its friends. Your abuse will deprive many, many people from the support Marestare provides, the knowledge it lends, and the commaraderie it enables.

[steph]

Being a cam owner myself, I have to agree with the other cam owners...we are on Mare Stare for the reassurance of additional eyes that are watching our mares. Working a full time day job and attempting to stay awake for several nights (with a few winks of sleep here and there), we do depend on Mare Stare viewers. We did not receive any calls last year as we were lucky enough that our mares foaled either in the early evening or early morning hours (5 AM or later) when we were awake anyway. However, IF a mare is in real trouble or is actually foaling and you do not see us in or near the stall, we would welcome a phone call.

But please read the message boards first...we have a maiden mare (due March 30th) that is a little skittish...therefore we are not sure what her reaction will be if we enter the barn before she is actually pushing. We may have to stand outside the barn and watch her through the window until she gets down to business.

I do post frequently on my own message board about our mare updates, so please read that first before you pick up the phone.
If a mare is getting really close, I will then also post messages on the Mare Stare foaling board.

I might add for those non-cam owners we do PAY for this service. You are a guest watching a paid service live on the internet. Please respect the cam owners wishes before you take premature action.
Thank You.
Steph

[bbm4ever]

I haven't been a member long, but have read quite a bit of those negative posts that have been going on...honestly I often wonder what the age of some these folks are....but in addition, you always have someone who knows how to do it better, cheaper in life..whether it be plumbing, raisin kids or foaling. You just have to take what is said with a grain of salt...but when it becomes as ridiculous as it has been for some cam owners....that's when you say, enough is enough and go private! Sorry to hear it, but understand it completely.

[bbm4ever]

brookhaven said:

I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet...little "x" in upper right hand corner...if you don't like what you see - use it. If you think you know it all, then move on to something else...

As a cam owner and miniature horse breeder, I depend on Marestare and the wonderful people who are a vital part of it. I open my barn and my life to the internet because I live by myself and as many from last year know, I tend to shut off the Equipage alarm and fall right back to sleep and forget to reset it. (I know no one else does that!!!) I have met many wonderful horse people here and even named one of my last years foals for someone I met here at Marestare. I also have learned a great deal from watching other farms and how they do things and yes, everyone does something different. There are no set rules. What works for some may not for others. So ZIP IT!

There are many of us cam owners who are not only doing you a favor by inviting you into our barns, but mainly are doing this because we rely on Marestare for help. I had my cam up last year and had no problems with people harrassing me. Yes, I had a couple of calls from people that couldn't see what was going on due to fuzzy cams (which have now been replaced). But I thanked them, as I'd rather have a call that was a mistake than have a problem and no one call. HOWEVER, for someone to call a farm owner to complain, criticize, recommend (without being asked) is just not appropriate. LET IT GO!!! USE THE X!!!

I personally will use this thread to thank Heather, Saddlebredlover, Melanie, Angie, Jimbo, and Rick, and the other moderators and many devoted fans for providing this space for those of us that truly need and support Marestare.

Please respect us, our knowledge and our life. I personally have over 40 years of horse experience and have foaled over 20 mares. I'm still learning, but not ignorant...so treat me and my fellow cam owners with respect.

As Marestare has grown, so have the growing pains. Heather, et al, are the most respected, diligent, hard working people I know. PLEASE respect this site, its owners, its supporters and its friends. Your abuse will deprive many, many people from the support Marestare provides, the knowledge it lends, and the commaraderie it enables.

Brook....sorry can't resist...was that short? lMAO