Support

Foal App supports most smart phones when used as a receiver, including both Google Android and Apple iOS devices. However, it is important that the monitoring phone used on the mare provides adequate reliability and battery life. The information below applies to the monitoring device only.

When looking for a phone to use with Foal App, we recommend looking for a quality brand Android phone, with a large battery and a small screen. Make sure to check your phone will fit in the Foal App pouch before purchasing, as large phones can be uncomfortable for the horse and more prone to damage. Also ensure that the phone has the full version of Android, as Foal App does not support the lightweight Android Go. Avoid ultra low cost phones of all brands, as they are often unreliable and can have unpredictable software issues.

Please note due to Apple privacy restrictions, Foal App no longer supports iPhone’s when used on the mare, however they can still be used as a receiver.

Once you have confirmed that you are using one of our supported phones and ensured the settings are correct as per the instructions above, please download Foal App if you have not done so already and follow these instructions to get started:

• On one of the phones, follow the prompts to create an account (write down your email address and password for reference).
• Log in to the same account on the other phone.
• On the phone you intend to use on the mare, press “Mare”.
• Click “New” and enter your mare’s name.
• Click to either purchase a pouch or skip if you already have one.
• Select a pack of weeks, and follow the prompts to purchase.
• On your personal phone, press “Receiver”. Your mare icon should appear on the screen.
• When you are ready, click “Allocate Time” on the mare phone.
• Choose a number of weeks to allocate. Remember these will be consumed, and this cannot be undone.
• Press the mare icon on the mare phone to begin monitoring.

Android OS5 is not recommended, however the below settings will 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

Android OS6 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

We recommend the below settings to optimise performance and battery life of Android OS7 or higher. 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

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.

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.

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.

If you are using an Android phone, check that battery optimisation has been turned off. Alternatively, if it is an iPhone being used on your mare, ensure that the screen is set to never lock (guided access can be used to disable buttons). If you are still having this problem, this could be due to a lack of reception. Please note, Foal App will experience drop outs and limited video access if you have only 1 to 2 bars of reception. 3 to 4 bars is required for the app to function well. Try turning off 4G in your settings, as this can improve reception. If you are using Wi-Fi, this could be the problem as it generally works well, but can be less consistent than mobile reception.

Check you are using one of our supported phones by using the list of approved phones above. Please note we do not recommend the use of iPhones on mares, even though these are recommended as receiver phones.