Another thread discussed a boarder putting a hidden camera to watch her horse (for unauthorized feeding).
How do you feel about (visible) camera monitoring systems at barns?
Would you feel differently if you could access the system on an app to check in remotely?
Im torn between the lack of privacy (all my mistakes viewable by others) and the benefit of remote check ins.
<I’ve only ever been a boarder, so don’t have a BO view point>
Sometimes I wish there was a camera so as I could check where I put something I can’t find!
We have security cameras that record on a system, in case there is a problem.
Those are on the outside of the barn where people drive to and by the barn and house.
No cameras in the barn itself, is a private barn, not open to the public, although some 4H kids use it.
There are signs all over that there are cameras in service, no surprises to anyone about that.
I know I’ve enjoyed some videos of the inside of barns and what some horses get up to at night. So cameras in aisles can be fun too.
But do boarders object to being recorded? The occasional bra adjustment, kiss on the nose or the great cry-into-the-neck of your sympathetic equine?
id pay extra, theoretically (I no longer own horses), to have a camera set up and an app to view, on a medical stall if my horse were sick.
They use them at many dog boarding places.
My horses are at home so my opinion might not matter.
I would have no problem with known video cameras in a barn. I am not likely to do anything in the barn aisle that I am afraid that someone else might see so the fact that it is recorded is not a huge deal.
Now, if the stalls were also covered I would just have to rethink my theory that peeing in a stall is no big deal since who wants people watching them squat and pee? Not me.
Known video cameras, put up by the barn owner? No problem. Though if I was working there, I’d like assurance, in writing, that the correct state and federal laws would actually be followed.
I would cover stalls actually, if the cameras are for security/safety, you want to be able to see into the stalls 24/7.
That all being said, I recall a UK study that looked at their CCTV. They found it did nothing to prevent incidents, simply made figuring out what happened easier and faster. Cameras in the barn would be the same: they don’t prevent a cast horse or a colicing horse or a stupid idiot playing with a horse that isn’t theirs. They may, depending on how the cameras are monitored, mean that it is discovered faster.
Zero problems with a barn owner installing cameras. Bonus if boarders can access them to see their horses!
I have worked at a lot of breeding farms, so cameras in stalls has been normal for me for many years. Just make sure you know which stalls have cameras if the barn doesn’t have a restroom! :lol:
I’m fine with cameras in any public areas (especially tack room)—although I might occasionally get busted for feeding my girls a cup of grain or flake of hay off-hours. 
I’d really like cameras on each individual stall, with an option to view them online. I’m not particularly anxious, but being able to get an eye on them a few hours after the vet has tubed them for gas colic without making the 40-minute drive to the barn would be awesome! As they get older, it would ease my mind a bit. Unfortunately, it’s just not that kind of barn.
I would have no problem as long as they weren’t also in the restroom and knew that there were cameras on property. I’ve had foaling cams up for years (private barns) and security systems. My neighbor has the same and I occasionally go over there to check on his horses if I hear one that I think may have cast itself or is having a problem. He can see at any time I ‘might’ go over there but he/we are aware of the arrangement. We have cameras at work that view and record every aspect of the clinic except the restrooms. It’s become somewhat of a norm now…and many times I’ve had to strip and change clothes due to contamination/infectious disease right in front of them. I just warn the folks who review them that they’re going to get a free show (not!) and the circumstances. Some things you try to avoid and it helps in remembering proper etiquette being on cam all the time; but, I’ve become used to big brother being everywhere LOL. I guess I’m not as bothered because I’ve reaped the benefits of having them (at work and home).
A good compromise at a boarding barn I was at: Camera was in the barn aisle only and on between something like 9 or 11 pm and 6 am. Also, it was motion-activated. The biggest PITA was for the BO who would get an e-mail and a ping on her cell phone every time someone loading up for a show came in and out of the barn in the wee hours.
Her barn was closer to the road/opening of her driveway than the house, so it made lots of sense to have some kind of security down there. But the hours, motion-activation and placement of the cameras didn’t seem like an invasion of privacy for boarders.
Any BO that didn’t notify everyone in writing of the cameras being in use would be a problem for me. Also, I think I’d like to have the cameras pointed out during the barn tour. I would want to know up front if this BO felt that boarders were the people she was watching. I don’t do business with someone who starts out by not trusting the people they are in business with. That seems like an untenable relationship to me.
We are in a nonprofit club co-op barn with no owner, an elected board of directors, and a certain amount of personality conflict.
When one faction finally insisted on security cameras, we made sure to have strong policy informed by the provincial personal information and privacy laws. The cameras are run by an outside company. No one from the barn has direct access to the video. The policy states that we will request video only when the police have been called, for theft or vandalism. Which typically we have had very very little over the years. So far we have not accessed it. There is a charge to do so and it needs board approval.
There are folks that would love to have 24/7 access to a video to check up on whether people they dislike are sweeping up after themselves, etc. So it was important to remove the cameras from any particular members direct access.
Relevant local case law includes a condo that had video in their common areas and the management was using it to fish for minor infractions like dogs in the lobby or whatever, and then fining people. They were ordered to remove the cameras because residents had a “reasonable expectation of privacy” in common areas of a strata title condo complex. Our provincial privacy commission has a good “best practices” guide.
We would be allowed to install personal stall cams as long as the camera did not record any part of the shared common areas like the aisle. However we don’t have wifi access at the barn. The wifi installed for the club cameras is password locked down precisely because several members expressed interest in tagging on their own stall cams, and the bandwidth wouldn’t support that.
Obviously things are different if it’s a private barn. Of course in that case few Barn Managers are going to have time in the day to scroll through multiple video feeds even on fast forward!
Security cameras are simple enough to have installed, but actually not that fast to retrieve data from especially if you are just fishing. If you were a retired person with a strong grudge that likes to monitor everyone you might be motivated to spend a pleasant hour every day trying to catch some specific person out. But probably most barn managers would find better things to do.
The barn where I take lessons installed security cameras after a show. During the show a competitor waited until no one was in the barn and walked off with several items, including one of my bridles with a Herm Sprenger bit (the bridle itself was an el-cheapo).
After that I am all for the stable protecting itself and its boarders from thieves, horse stuff gets expensive.
There are warning signs at all the entrances to the barn.
The barn owner has not complained about theft during one of her shows since then.
I’ve been at two barns that had cameras. One they were hidden and I had no idea where they pointed. I didn’t care. Though I did give my horse extra flakes of hay at that barn. I guess I could have gotten busted for that.
Another was one where she could see the horses in their stalls, but I got the low-down that if you peed right at the front they couldn’t see you. I didn’t care there either.
But I did know about these cameras, they were not a secret. I think it would be awesome to have had access and watch my pony.
I keep my horses at home now and it’s just me.
We had no cameras at my barn, and have one boarder who I suspected of stealing hay out of my horses’ stalls, as well as other incidents involving her and other boarders. I finally had enough and asked the barn owner if I could put up my own camera, which she agreed to, as long as I told everyone it was there. I have a sign on my stall door and the camera covers my two stalls (across the aisle from each other), my tack room, and pretty much to the front door. I do feel it’s prevented whacko from messing with my stuff or horses, but now she’s suspected of doing the same thing to the two stalls that are behind my camera.
It’s also nice to be able to check in and listen to the horses at night before bed. Especially on the 4th of July.
I’m a boarder and would not have a problem with cameras, although not personal boarder-installed ones; that could be weird and creepy and I pee in my horse’s shelter since we don’t have a bathroom on site lol. Ones installed for security that can be accessed by the BM wouldn’t bother me. I’d probably find out where they were located simply so that I could make sure the BM wasn’t being subjected to my bladder emptying, but I’d also be up front about why I was asking! 
I wouldn’t have a problem with it as long as the local laws were followed -i.e. private areas like a restroom. I think in certain areas where they’ve had incidents with horse thefts and worse I’d absolutely want cameras - shoot in that scenario I’d be happy to pitch in to help the costs for peace of mind.
I think if the cameras are used more for security as opposed to “what are my boarders” doing type thing. Shoot some cameras are so tiny I wouldn’t even know if my barn had them or not.
I don’t board, I wouldn’t have horses if I had to. But I did have to board when my pony was off for training. And I didn’t know any barn/arena manners, so it was a bit embarrassing as an adult, but no trainer or boarder was nasty towards me about correcting me. If I had still been a kid, I probably would of gone MIA for awhile from embarrassment.
I don’t have any issues with cameras in any regular, legal place. Stores have them. I don’t quite see it as different, that may be because I dont board/didn’t grow up boarding, IDK. I wouldn’t mind owners/boarders being able to view as they please, either. I’m sure most would be curious about what happens randomly when they aren’t there, so they’d occasionally check in. Others may want to see their horse farting around or w/e.
Digging out a wedgie or hay outta your bra isn’t an issue, we all do it. As for PDA towards our horses, I’d hope that we all do it to some extent. How can you not nuzzle that fuzzy muzzle?!
I’d think the only ones who would put up a stink would be people who are too shy/uber private(me in the past) or people who have something to hide.
🤔 If the videos were public to any ol’ person who has internet, then that could be a different story. I probably wouldn’t want our potential screwups shared on FB by a-holes…
I’d love to have a stall camera feed accessible to me just for nightly check-ins. I’m 100% in favor of barn owners putting up cameras in common areas as long as it is disclosed and used only by barn ownership/management.
I don’t have an issue with a BO installing one, or with a boarder installing one that covered their horses’ areas (so a camera in a stall they can view on an app, assuming they can piggyback on the barn’s WiFi, assuming there is one natch).
No concerns if a BO/BM had security cameras with notice posted, for the purposes of protecting their and boarders’ property. The camera notices are often sufficient to deter the behavior, and if the offender does it anyway, I have no problem if the BO/BM evicts the boarder who didn’t follow rules.
The key point for me: if you install hidden cameras with no notice, that means you are less interested in deterrence and more just interested in playing GOTCHA! It’s a very different perspective, and more vindictive.
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