# Horse hoof clippings



## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

A few years ago, my coworker (who has a horse) told me she gave the clippings to her dogs as chew treats. I assume it is similar to cow hooves? 

I do not own a horse. Failing to win the mega millions lottery has pretty much squashed that dream. I work at a stable and see them scattered about. I think I am going to offer them to the dogs and see what happens. 

Anyone else give these to their dogs? Or...is it dangerous or something.


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## DDBsR4Me (Jan 23, 2012)

I have horses and I've given my dogs hoof clippings in the past. I don't see any difference between giving them horse hoof clippings versus a cow hoof, other than the horse clippings are fresher and softer.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Dogs love them.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

My dogs have eaten them. My only issue regarding them is "what ointment has been administered to the horses hooves recently?"

I use to only feed my horses hoof trimming because I knew when he and she had anything on their feet.

Now when we have the dogs up at my friends ranch, they eat horse crap, hooves, whatever they can get their mouths on. 

Other than that, the dogs love them. They like the chestnuts too. That's the little nut (primordial toe) growing halfway up their legs. If you don't peel them, they grow out.


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## Gracelikerain (Jan 4, 2012)

I don't intentionally feed them but since Dexter comes to the barn when the farrier is out it is fairly unavoidable. For my dog hoof clippings are a nice random treat but I do know that some dogs will throw them back up because they swallow big chunks (but that can happen with any hard, large treat). 

Personally I don't worry about what was applied to the hoof because anything applied to the outer hoof wall is lucky to stick for a few hours. More caustic substances like venice turpentine or thrush treatments are applied to the sole of the hoof and are not clipped the same way excess hoof wall is taken off.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Gracelikerain said:


> I don't intentionally feed them but since Dexter comes to the barn when the farrier is out it is fairly unavoidable. For my dog hoof clippings are a nice random treat but I do know that some dogs will throw them back up because they swallow big chunks (but that can happen with any hard, large treat).
> 
> Personally I don't worry about what was applied to the hoof because anything applied to the outer hoof wall is lucky to stick for a few hours. More caustic substances like venice turpentine or thrush treatments are applied to the sole of the hoof and are not clipped the same way excess hoof wall is taken off.


However, with any horse, when you apply thrush treatments they do drip down the toe. The toe is clipped excessively. You have no idea if a horse was treated then clipped. There is cause for concern considering such substances are toxic to dogs.

It may not be a big chance of such events happening, but there is a chance. :wink:


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## DDBsR4Me (Jan 23, 2012)

My dog only gets clippings from my own horses, since I keep them at home. In my case, I know they are safe, 

But I can see your concerns about clippings at a boarding facility from horses that weren't your own.


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

My dog LOOOVES them. As soon as he discovered them, he's obsessed. Every time i go down to feed, twice a day, he just lays where the farrier was last time and nom noms the whole time I'm feeding haha. They're his favorite =) And, they're the only thing so far that he uses his front teeth on, so I love it!


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

Oh, and not totally related, but we gelded a foal on Thursday, and Dobby got to eat the....byproducts. hahaha, He loved them too!


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## AveryandAudrey (Sep 20, 2010)

When we had horses growing up, the Farrier would come and the dogs took the clippings before we could ever get them. t never seemed to hurt them.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

creek817 said:


> Oh, and not totally related, but we gelded a foal on Thursday, and Dobby got to eat the....byproducts. hahaha, He loved them too!


:suspicious:



That's so extraordinarily awesome!


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

Sprocket said:


> :suspicious:
> 
> 
> 
> That's so extraordinarily awesome!


Thanks! I thought so too haha. Dobby ate the first one, and Oscar, my stepdughter's JRT, started to eat the second one, and Dobby went straight up to him and stole it right out of his mouth! hahahaha. He's lucky Oscar is too nice to do anything but let him take it!


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks everyone. I will try and see. Most of the clippings are from the foals. This is not a boarding facility. CREEK817....thank you. That visual will haunt me for at least a couple of weeks. 

Anyone see the movie Hostile? Its a torture porn really, husband wanted to watch it. They cut a man's penis off and a german shepard runs over and eats it. Raw diet at its finest


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Thanks everyone. I will try and see. Most of the clippings are from the foals. This is not a boarding facility. CREEK817....thank you. That visual will haunt me for at least a couple of weeks.
> 
> Anyone see the movie Hostile? Its a torture porn really, husband wanted to watch it. They cut a man's penis off and a german shepard runs over and eats it. Raw diet at its finest



ROFL. I tried to get pictures, but they were too quick for me, and I was kind of busy trying to help the vet with the foal! But really, they were quite small, and didn't look that different to him eating any other raw food - if that helps with the visuals. haha.

YOUR visuals on the other hand....yikes!!!!


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

I grew up with dogs eating horse poop and horse clippings. My doberman knew where we kept the poop wheelbarrow and she would help herself...

She and my rottie also hung out around the farrier when he came and both girls would steal the clippings.

I boarded my mare (in high school) at my trainer's and her corgis and her catahoula stole and ate the clippings off of whatever horse he was working on. Half of them were probably treated with something... They never died early or had any issues but they could have just been lucky. I, personally, would only give them clippings from "naked" horses.


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