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Barn Cameras : HIGH-TOUCH GOES HIGH-TECH
by Cindy Thomas Saddlebrook BarnCams®
As a horse breeder, you can expect to take on certain risk. What you might not expect, however, is that a barn camera could save your life.

On January 9, 2004, Bev Holzrichter (in photo on right) was doing what most people who breed
horses are doing at that time of year - she was in the barn with one of her mares that had just foaled. But what started out as a fairly routine birth quickly turned into every breeder’s nightmare.

Bev and her husband, Ken, own and operate KB Hilltop Stables near Charlotte, Iowa. Ken was away on business that morning, so Bev was alone with her mare, Sierra, as the horse prepared to give birth. Bev may have been alone at the farm that morning, but hundreds of people from around the world had joined her to watch the big event via their Web cam. The Holzrichters had installed a wireless BarnCam® barn camera system at their farm and uploaded the images to their website. Anyone could log on and view live action of their horses and stables
at www.kbhilltopstables.com.

That January morning, the Web cam and many concerned virtual participants became involved in a life-saving effort.  "The mare had just foaled and had not yet passed the placenta," Bev said. So she went into the stall to give the mare a dose of Oxytoxin to help. “At that moment, a neighboring mare tried to break the stall down to get to the baby because she is an open mare and wanted the baby for herself. Everything happened so fast. The baby was between me and the other mare and Sierra felt threatened and kicked out. She got me three times on my right side." The blows knocked Bev to the ground and she was barely able to pull herself out of the stall. 

As soon as the Web cam watchers saw what was happening, they sprang into action. At the time she went into the stall, Bev had been talking on her cell phone with Wendy Wiener from California, with whom she had become acquainted through the Web cam. Wendy sent out a message on the Internet for someone to call 911. Calls then came in to local officials from all over the nation and as far away as Berlin, Germany. Cam-watcher Anita Bertling (in photo on left) of Wisconsin was among the many who called to help a woman many of them had never met but only had seen through the web cam. Anita even drove down and spent the night with Bev in the hospital. 
"The Web cam and those people literally saved my life," Bev said. "With Ken being gone I could have been laying out there for who knows how long. I did manage to drag myself out of the stall, but couldn’t get the door closed. Sierra was in pain and very protective of her new foal. She could have come after me again." As it was, Bev was nearly hypothermic by the time rescuers arrived. While help was on its way, Web cam watchers posted continual updates on the stable's web site. Many others came forward to help, such as one volunteer who offered to fly in to help out at the farm, where five more mares were waiting to foal. Others contacted her husband, who was on the road in Georgia at the time of the accident.

In the weeks that followed, KB Hilltop Stables site received over 30,000 hits. "The Web cam is
watched by people in China, Australia and many other places around the world, and we have gotten calls from many of them as well. They are my true heroes. Without them, I wouldn't be here."

The folks at Saddlebrook BarnCams frequently hear testimonials as heartfelt as Bev’s.

Another customer, Sarah Denunzio, purchased a BarnCam® system and connected it to
the Web. She checked in on her mare from her desk at work about 42 miles away from home. The mare wasn’t due for another three weeks, but she became very restless. “I kept a real close eye on her,” Sarah continues. “Then she laid down and rolled a bit. When she stood up, I saw the first sac making its way out. I immediately called my husband, but he was still an hour out.”
Sarah called a friend for help and also called her vet. “Quick action on their part saved my
mare and foal. They are both healthy and happy. I am afraid to think that I would have lost them both if I had not had the camera in her stall. I will never let another mare go without
a BarnCam®!”

Saddlebrook BarnCams is located in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, in the heart of the Midwest. President Bill Thiel and his wife, Susan, own a 35-acre horse farm where they breed prize winning Appaloosas. In 1997, Bill set up a video camera system that connected directly to their TV, making it possible to monitor their mares from the comfort of their home. Eventually he also turned it into a Web cam so Susan could watch the horses on the Internet when she was away on  business trips.
“She didn’t miss a thing,” said Bill. “She could even see me cleaning out the stalls and feeding!” Word of the now famous BarnCam® spread quickly and soon a business was born.

Wireless BarnCams are used to monitor animals right from your home or office on the same
property as your barn up to one mile away! Standard systems connect directly to any regular TV or VCR and can accommodate up to four different cameras at one time. They feature audio and video, wide-angle lenses and are available in color or black & white. Best of all, these camera systems are virtually plug-and-play, and can be installed in less than half the time of traditional wired systems.
The company also makes systems designed for trailers. When you need to transport valuable horses, a wireless trailer camera system can deliver peace of mind and fewer stops. These systems feature wireless operation from the trailer to the truck. With no wires, ease of installation and operation is maximized. 
All systems are fully warranted and backed by skilled technicians with years of practical experience. The company is customer-focused and offers free technical support and advice to ensure successful installation and operation of their product.
Saddlebrook is located on the Web at www.BarnCams.com, and can be reached
 by calling 1-888-6-BARNCAMS.


Contact: Bill Thiel or Cindy Thomas
N76 W36096 Saddlebrook Lane
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066
Phone: 1-888-6-BARNCAMS
Email: sales@BarnCams.com
Website: www.barncams.com

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