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Al-Khazraji, in his book نفس الصباح في غريب القرآن وناسخه ومنسوخه, volume 2, pages 624-625, says that Al-Hasan and others said

was abrogated by the Sunna and consensus that forbid cutting off animals' heads and legs. He says that the majority disagrees and say that Solomon (PBUH) did not cut off his horses' heads and legs, he stroked them. Isn't that what the verse says? Where did people get the notion that he cut off their heads and legs? Must be an Israelite story they fell for. Al-Khazraji references An-Nahhaas and Makki but I'm not sure if he meant they said that or they just reported it.

That said, 39:33 is not abrogated even if the story was like they thought, because it is a narration of a story; it does not contain a command from God to Muslims. Furthermore, the act was Solomon's, there is no indication that it was something God told him to do. And if that's not enough, the Sunna cannot abrogate the Quran, the majority stated.

For:
Al-Hasan (according to Al-Khazraji),
An-Nahhaas, Makki (implied by Al-Khazraji).

Against:
The majority, according to Al-Khazraji,
Dr. Mustafa Zayd.

The quality of the claims keeps going down and down.

Dr. Mustafa Zayd explains where they got that story from. It's from an authentic narration by Qataada from Al-Hasan. He called the narration أثر which is different from hadeeth, thus I may conclude that it was an opinion of Al-Hasan which could have been influenced by an Israelite story. Dr. Zayd says that some exegetes explained that stroking horses heads and legs is a euphemism for cutting them off. At-Tabari objects on the basis of undue cruelty to innocent animals by a prophet of God. Dr. Zayd agrees and says that the verse came in the context of praising Solomon for his righteousness and wisdom, so how can it be possible that he would punish horses for something that is his fault: the fact that he was distracted by admiring them until he missed the afternoon prayer. BTW, that interpretation is confirmed by an authentic narration tracing back to Ali. He was asked, "What is the middle prayer (الصلاة الوسطى)?" He answered, "The afternoon prayer (العصر). It is the one Solomon missed."