Collecting Horsehair

Collecting Horsehair 

• Carefully grasp the longest hairs (or those at least 18 inches long) at the very tip of the tail bone and whisking away the shorter hairs. 
• Work in sections and work close to the tail bone. Make sure the hair is long enough. 
• For a 4-5mm size bracelet I need about 200 hairs.  This is smaller than the diameter of a pencil.
• For a small braid used in a pendant or similar piece, I need around 100 hairs.  This length of hair is important as it is easier for me to work with longer hairs.
• If you do not have hair that is long enough, please contact me and we can discuss the options available to you.
• Gather the hair together and secure with a rubber band (a braiding band is good) or a soft string. 
• Loosely loop the hair, do not knot the hair, and put the hair in a zip lock bag with a label including your name, the name of the horse, and order number, if available.
• I will not process hair that is tangled, matted, or excessively dirty.
  Hair that is collected from the 'field' or stall and not neatly secured with a band will be charged a minimum 35.00 for extra processing.
• I always wash the hair, no matter how clean it appears to be.  Braiding with absolutely clean hair is critical to the quality of the piece of jewelry.
• If you wash the hair, please do not add any conditioners.  You must be sure that the hair is absolutely dry before putting it into the baggie or it will mold and be unusable.
• All unused hair will be returned with the completed piece of jewelry.
• Mane Hair
• Yes, I braid with mane hair.  Mane hair is much finer, shorter, and more prone to breakage than tail hair, making it more difficult to work with. 
• An additional $50 fee per braid applies to mane hair. 
• Mane hair is beautiful and protected in the Keystone, Horseshoe, and Bar styles.
  Please contact me for details.

• Please send the hair to: