# Has anyone tried NipBuster?



## Dusty1228 (Dec 2, 2010)

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone has tried this product. I can't find anyting on the internet other than their website or videos. 
It LOOKS like it works, ha-ha. But I am truly curious. 

My idiot has a 'thing' about a certain saddle (Yes, it's been checked and fits fine.) and due to the lack of time I get out there with him, about 2 hours every other day or so, every time I go it's like we are starting all over with his biting. 

I've tried everything from pet pet pet pet the crap out of his face, to head down, deep breathing, I moved his tongue over so he would bite it if he snapped, I've bitten him back and backed him off. But, he just refuses. 

I'm NOT looking for a quick fix so I can ride. I want a permanent fix, I don't care how long it takes. Anyhow, so I was wondering what your thoughts are on this stuff.

I have very, very low hopes for it, but... at this point... I'll try anything short of pushing him down and pulling his hair, ha-ha.

So... Anyone?


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## Dusty1228 (Dec 2, 2010)

^^ Bumperific ^^ I assume that's no one... ? ****.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Never heard of it, so sorry I can't help. 

I think your issue could be more easily addressed than using a marketed gadget though. Your horse is not respect you if he is biting at something that you are doing. I would not tolerate that, not for a second.


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## Dusty1228 (Dec 2, 2010)

I know, it's totally my fault, I turned it into a game with him and I didn't mean to. I'm trying to back up and regroup and stick with ONE tactic. I was just wondering if anyone even heard of it.

I'm taking more time off work next week so I can work with him every day for about 9 days. It just seems that there is a reset button. And every time I go out there, we start all over.


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## FriesianGirl65 (Sep 21, 2012)

I have used the NipBuster with my Friesian Stallion..I do highly recommend it and is a fantastic product and works really well to stop the nipping!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

So , you spray something in their face?


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## FriesianGirl65 (Sep 21, 2012)

You spray it on the nose and mouth area...keeping away from their eyes...it is nontoxic and all natural..here is the link: www.NipBusters.com


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## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

ouch...$25.00 for three little spray things...

while i dont doubt it works..A swat from my hand on the muzzle of the offending biter is just as effective and alot cheaper:/


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## FriesianGirl65 (Sep 21, 2012)

I wished that a 'swat' from my hand to the muzzle wouldve worked on my 3 yr old Stallion..he thinks that is play time and just made him worse...lol..


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## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

thats when you up the anty and hit him harder and jump down his throat for it- makes much less of a game. 

but thats just me.. if it worked for you, awesome.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When you are saddling your horse, move him to another locale. Is he tied, cross-tied, ground tied, rope over your shoulder? Why not saddle him, cinch him just enough to keep the saddle from sliding, and just take him for a walk and maybe let him graze a bit. Let him know that saddling doesn't always mean work. When you cinch him up are you doing it in stages or doing it riding tight right off the bat?


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## FriesianGirl65 (Sep 21, 2012)

LOL..I did do that..believe me! I gave him a flying drop kick to the mouth with the heel of my boot! you would think that would have some effect on him, but it didnt! He is really hard headed..and with Friesians, he has a high level of pain tolerance. So I was desperate, and went with the NipBuster.  LOL..


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Even though this thread is super old, just to add - if a horse thinks about biting me, they also get to think they're going to die post-biting-thought.

If a slap doesn't work, I won't hesitate to break out the big guns (usually a crop/lunge whip - something the horse already "respects". With my mare I'll basically "lunge" her on the lead rope - telling her "GET OUT OF MY SPACE", like a dominant mare would. She tried snapping once a few years ago - did that - she has never snapped again) to back up what I'm saying and we repeat, repeat, repeat the activity that got the biting response until the biggest response there is is perhaps a slight ear pin. 


It might seem mean but in a herd, the dominant horse isn't going to stop pinning her ears at an underling because it "didn't work". She's going to escalate until that less dominant horse backs off. Of course, horses and humans are two different things but those rules still apply - horses very much understand escalating "pressure" since, as herd animals, it's how their minds are wired.


Just my $0.02


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## Elizabeth Bowers (Jan 26, 2012)

peppersgirl said:


> ouch...$25.00 for three little spray things...
> 
> while i dont doubt it works..A swat from my hand on the muzzle of the offending biter is just as effective and alot cheaper:/


I wish that would work for my brat yearling!!! The more/harder i smack him the more he tries! He nips he doesn't actually bite, he wants to play, and i'm not a play mate!!!! So i might be giving this a try as well!!  And he's done this since he was a baby, i though i had him broke of it, but i guess not. Bad thing is his mother is the same way....learned behavior i guess....(but she quits after one good swat!) :?


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Elizabeth Bowers said:


> The more/harder i smack him the more he tries! He nips he doesn't actually bite, he wants to play, and i'm not a play mate!!!!


Yep, punishment can indeed work, but generally even if it is effective, it will not end the behaviour, only 'weaken' it. And then you get 'playful' types, or 'dominant' types like this, who just think you 'upping the ante' means the 'game' is more challenging... or they get angry & serious because of your lack of respect. That's one reason I think it's best to use punishment sparingly & judiciously & use other methods & avoid confrontational approaches where possible.

If you know when the horse is about to nip, whether punishment or otherwise, you should be able to avoid it & reinforce the not nipping. If you don't know when it's coming, so your reaction comes after the behaviour has happened, whether punishment or otherwise, your response is generally going to be ill timed & not well associated to the behaviour. I imagine having to respond with a little squirty thing in just the right place is going to impinge on good timing all the more.

If this horse only has a problem with a particular saddle, I would seriously & carefully look at saddle fit(I know you said...), back probs, girthing &/or rider balance issues with it, because it's likely he's trying to tell you it's hurting him, so IMO it's best not to just use a 'shut up & put up with it' approach anyway.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Just hold a nail in your hand and keep that hand where it is what he will run into. A horse runs into the nail once (or twice at the most) and he just quits. 

There is no game to it and no head-shy ducking or any downside to it. It has worked on EVERY HORSE I have had come in with nipping / biting problems for almost 50 years now. I have never seen it fail and have never seen it cause any other problem.

Several years after I started doing this, I ran into a personal friend of Tom Dorrance and he told me that this was what the Dorrance Brothers had done ever since he knew them. So, I guess I was in pretty good company when I figured this way out. 

By the way, the first time I tried this, I was holding a 2 year old show stallion for a farrier. The colt was chewing on the lead-rope, nipping at my hands, trying to reach around an nip at the farrier. It was driving us nuts. Any time I got after him, he jerked his foot away and we had to start all over. The farrier and I were both at our wits' end when I picked up a horse shoe nail out of his box and held it in front of my hand. The colt ran into it pretty hard once. About 5 minutes later he ran into it once more. He never nipped at me again and he never nipped at the farrier again -- ever -- simple as that. Been doing it ever since.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Cherie said:


> Just hold a nail in your hand and keep that hand where it is what he will run into. A horse runs into the nail once (or twice at the most) and he just quits.


Now that is a perfect eg of how to effectively use punishment IMO - set it up so the horse punishes _*himself*_ AS he does the Bad Thing. I personally use a wire brush or such rather than a nail, but much more effective to do something like that than come after them following the behaviour, with fist, squirty bottle, whatever.

Didn't know it was a Dorrance technique though - that's nice to know too.:wink:


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## SplashedOvero (May 16, 2012)

Dusty1228 said:


> Hi,
> I was just wondering if anyone has tried this product. I can't find anyting on the internet other than their website or videos.
> It LOOKS like it works, ha-ha. But I am truly curious.
> 
> ...



Does he only bite when your saddling him?? 

My mare I used to have if you jerked the girth too much or the wrong way she would bite or try to kick your brains out. I eventually learned to tap her in the girth area before I tightened so she would know I was about to tighten it. Then slowly tighten walk her come back tighten some more. Never had any more issues with her.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

ive got one, made by Louisville slugger. but a 2x4 will work well in a pinch.


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

I bet that sour war head spray thats sour apple flavor would work just as well for 24.00 less...


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