Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

General

​

1. How does Foal App work?

​

Foal App uses a smartphone attached to the mare's headstall to detect when she lies down, indicating that labour is starting, and notifies receivers with an alarm on their own phone. Using the inbuilt camera and microphone you can check on the mare even if you aren’t nearby.

 

2. How much does Foal App cost?

​

Foal App is free to download and use as a receiver, however to use it to monitor a mare you must purchase credit within the app. This credit is per week, but does not expire until it is assigned to a mare and consumed. Weekly credits cost $10-20 USD depending on quantity, larger purchases have a discounted rate. You will also need a Foal App pouch to attach the phone to your mare, which is $100 AUD including postage.

 

3. If my phone is on a mare how will I receive alarms?

​

You will need to put a second phone on your mare as you need a phone to receive the alarm as well.

 

4. Do I need a mobile phone plan?

​

Both the monitoring and receiving phone need a reliable internet connection, otherwise the app cannot send/receive alarms or video. We recommend a mobile phone plan, as it is generally more reliable than WiFi.

 

5. What phones can I use?

​

Foal App supports both Apple iOS and Google Android devices; however we recommend Android devices for monitoring. Android OS 5+ is supported, however OS 7 or higher is highly recommended. You can see a list of our supported devices under the “Phone Setup” section of this page. Foal App may work on other devices but we do not recommend budget phones.

 

6. Can I rent a phone for Foal App?

​

If you don’t wish to purchase a phone we have partnered with businesses worldwide to provide local sources for pouches and phone rentals which can be found here.

 

7. How long does the battery last?

​

Battery life on Android is up to 48 hours (LG Nexus 5X), while iPhone is up to 8 hours (iPhone 6 Plus). However, many factors can reduce the battery life including the model of phone, age of the phone, weak signal, cold weather etc. Foal App features battery warnings and will notify receivers before the monitor goes flat. To increase battery life an external battery can be used, which can more than triple the battery life.

 

8. How loud is the alarm?

​

The alarm volume is set by your phone volume, so make sure your phone is not on silent.

 

9. What is the range?

​

The alarm will work anywhere you have an internet connection, no matter how far away you are.

 

10. Why use the camera?

​

Some mares may set the alarm off often when they aren’t going into labour. By using the camera you can see if the mare is rolling, scratching or going into labour without rushing out to check.

 

11. What if it is dark?

​

While viewing the video you can turn the phones flash on and off to see even if it is dark.

 

12. How many mares can I monitor?

​

You can monitor as many mares as you need.

 

13. Do I have to leave a halter on my mare?

​

Yes. The pouch attaches to any kind of halter and fits snugly under the mare’s neck.

 

14. Will the phone get wet/damaged?

​

It is unlikely. The pouch is very secure with a double velcro system. The material used is water resistant.

​

15. How often can I check on my mare?

​

You can access the live video feed as often as you like. You don’t have to wait for the alarm to do this. Be aware, however, that constant use of the video will shorten the battery life.

 

​

Phone Set Up

 

1. What phones are supported?

​

Foal App supports the below phones. The app will work on other devices but there may be unknown issues. Budget Android phones are not recommended as these often have issues.

•iPhone (5 or newer)

•LG Nexus (5 or newer)

•Samsung Galaxy (S4 or newer)

•Sony Xperia (Z2 or newer)

•HTC M (7 or newer)

​

2. What settings are recommended for Apple iOS?

​

Due to Apple privacy restrictions, iPhones must stay unlocked and awake while monitoring is on, to allow access to the camera. In order to ensure the phone stays awake and to maximise battery life we recommend the settings below. Once monitoring has been started guided access can be enabled by triple tapping the home button and tapping start. This stops the power button being accidentally pressed.

•Settings > General > Accessibility > Guided Access > On

•Settings > Display and Brightness > Auto-Lock > Never

•Settings > Display and Brightness > Auto-Brightness > Off

•Settings > Display and Brightness > Brightness > Minimum

•Settings > Bluetooth > Bluetooth > Off

 

3. What settings are recommended for Android OS5?

​

We recommend the below settings to optimise performance and battery life of Android OS5 phones. Due to differences between phones, detailed instructions are not included.

•Bluetooth > Off

•Brightness > Minimum

•Auto-Lock >  Minimum

 

4. What settings are recommended for Android OS6?

 

OS6 is the worst performing Android version and is not recommended, however the below settings will optimise performance and battery life of Android OS6 phones. Due to differences between phones, detailed instructions are not included.

•Battery Optimisation > Off

•Battery Optimisation > Foal App > Off

•Bluetooth > Off

•Brightness > Minimum

•Auto-Lock >  Minimum

​

5. What settings are recommended for Android OS7?

 

We recommend the below settings to optimise performance and battery life of Android OS7 phones. Due to differences between phones, detailed instructions are not included.

•Battery Optimisation > Off

•Battery Optimisation > Foal App > Off

•Bluetooth > Off

•Brightness > Minimum

•Auto-Lock >  Minimum

 

​

Trouble Shooting

​

1. Why do I not get the suggested battery life?

 

Battery life is affected by many factors. You can see our recommended phone settings under the “Phone Setup” section of this page. Other factors which may cause a short battery life are poor network strength, an old phone, cold weather, frequent video usage etc.

 

 

2. Why do I get sound, but no video?

 

If you are using an iPhone, ensure that the screen is on and unlocked. Our recommended phone settings seen here detail how to keep the iPhone unlocked. Due to Apple restrictions the camera cannot be accessed while the phone is locked. An unreliable internet connection can also cause this issue.

 

3. Why does my monitor have no connection?

 

Most often a monitor will show no connection if it does not have a reliable internet connection. You can check your internet connection by trying to access a website from the phone, if you cannot access the internet neither can Foal App. Our testing has shown WiFi networks to be less reliable, so we recommend turning WiFi off if possible.