Weird Fashion: Jewelry made from hoof clippings

Some people might think the idea of wearing a little piece of hoof on your finger is gross. But Megan Kaiser thinks it’s awesome.

From Megan:

I have had my horse for 14 years and rode him for a year before he was mine.  He pre-dates my kids, dog, house, and husband.  He is getting up there, he is just about 22.  He has some arthritis in his hocks, but a good farrier, chiropractor, supplement, and soft hilly pastures has made it so this doesn’t seem to bother him one bit as he bombs up a hill with me.  At the same time I know that he’s not eight, even though he will always be eight to me.

One day I picked up a copy of Horse Illustrated because Totilas was on the cover (and yes, this is the first time in my entire life I bought a magazine because who was featured on the cover and yes, it was a horse–tells you something about me doesn’t it?)  Inside there was a little article about jewelry made from horse hoof by a company called Equinite Gems.

Now, when you hear this you go either way–it is the coolest thing you have ever heard or it’s just gross.  My mom went the gross route and offered up her toenails for me to get earrings made from.  I think having something made from his hoof trimmings is the coolest thing in the world and went to their website straightaway and to figure out how to get this done. They have “jewels” already made or you can send in trimmings and they will make one for you.  Of course I discover this two days after his feet were done so I have to wait six weeks to get a piece to send in.

I decided on a ring.  I wear the same simple earrings every day and my wedding ring–that’s it–but I could see myself adding a ring for my right hand into the mix.

Finally, it was time to get his feet done again. I printed out the instructions and showed the farrier.  He did not call me crazy and said he could do it and pretended to be was excited about it and said he wanted to see the final product.  I bleached the clippings according to the directions, ran to the post office to send them off, and then checked the mail with excitement every day for them to return in the form of a ring.

I am wearing my pretty ring now and always will have a piece of my guy with me for the rest of my life.  I show it to all the horse people I know and non-horse people just think it’s a regular ring.  My mom has upgraded it to “interesting” but when I offered to have them make something for her, so she will always have a piece of her grand-gelding, she refused.