A new viral phenomenon has TikTokers trying out a certain brand of horse treats after one woman went viral for eating them. The trend soon sparked concern among those unsure that eating something formulated for another species is safe for humans.
So far, there have been no reports of Likit fatalities, but nobody on two legs should eat that much sugar.
Why are people on TikTok eating horse treats?
In October, TikToker and certified “horse girl” Gracie (@_gracielambert) went viral after she posted footage of herself trying out a Likit treat before giving it to her equine friend. She enjoyed the flavor and soon began posting more videos tasting other varieties.
@_gracielambert Banana lickit 2/10 from me 10/10 from Spirit 🍌 😎@Likit Products #likit #fypviral #horse #equestrian #horsetreats ♬ original sound – Gracie🐴
The most viral entry, trying the banana flavor, gained over 22 million views. Gracie didn’t much like that one, but Spirit loved it. The apple treat, however, was a bit hit with both.
By the end of November and into December, others on TikTok began to buy these horse treats for themselves. Last weekend, @aminasnotokay gave the apple Likit a rave review.
@aminasnotokay i’m gonna be so honest with you my stomach hurts now….idk if that’s placebo but i find myself neighing at random times
♬ original sound – aminasnotokay
“Whoa, there’s like, levels to this flavor,” she said.
She compared the texture to the “Fun Dip” sticks from our youth.
“It’s like chewy, but then also buttery soft,” she described. “It lowkey just tastes like sugar.”
On Tuesday, @tybottofficial also compared the same treat to a Fun Dip stick, but detected some apple flavor.
“It has just a little bit of apple but not too much apple,” he said. “It is getting better each bite!”
Are horse treats safe for humans?
The key question, of course, is whether it’s safe for people to eat these horse treats. The same thing came up when certain individuals were consuming medicated paste made for horses.
Any company not looking to get sued is going to say they don’t recommend you eat these. Likit, the U.K. company who makes the viral treats, says as much in the FAQ.
“Likits are made from human food grade raw materials but they are not made in a human food factory and therefore cannot be recommended for human consumption,” it reads. “Likits are for horses, not humans!”
The standards for animal food are different from those for humans, so consuming your pets’ treats is always a gamble. Horses are quite a bit different from us when it comes to nutritional needs, including sugar.
In another FAQ, Likit says that horses should consume 125 grams of sugar per hour of grazing, and their treats are formulated based on that need. Doctors for humans, on the other hand, recommend that we eat a maximum of 50 grams of added sugar per day.
Nobody has dropped dead on camera from eating one bite (as far as we know), but some TikTokers are still begging you not to eat those things.
“Y’all, stop eating these horse treats,” @ashleydkelley pleaded. “Please! Please stop doing it. Please.”
“I don’t want to see another video of another person eating this horse treat and then talking about ‘my stomach hurts.’ Well, no sh*t, Sherlock!”
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