How to Order a Piece of Custom Horsehair Jewelry
Horsehair pieces are made by me by hand in Los Gatos, CA.
Please allow for 6 to 10 weeks to complete your order. Jewelry with specially ordered hardware may take longer.
You will receive a confirmation email when I receive the hair. If you don't receive a confirmation, please contact me to make sure I have received your horse's hair.
Orders are completed in the order the hair is received.
The instructions for collecting hair, measuring for a bracelet, and other questions are below. If you have any questions, please contact me.
If you have a special occasion or rush on the order, please call 1-510-847-4691 or message me through this website. Please note the deadline date in the comment section of your order and in your package when you ship the hair.
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Complete your order online. If you have questions, please contact me.
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Collect your horse's hair. See below for instructions.
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Put secured hair in a baggie with your horse's name, your name, and order number.
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Send via Priority Mail or with tracking, to:
Lisa Dahlen Designs
PO Box 321167
Los Gatos, CA 95032
Ordering Horsehair Jewelry FAQ
How do I collect my horse's hair?
- Carefully grasp the longest hairs (or those at least 20 inches long) at the very tip of the tail bone and whisking away the shorter hairs.
- Clip small sections of hair, working close to the tail bone.
- Make sure the hair is long enough. 20" may sound like a lot but it is not. I need more than double the length of the completed bracelet.
- If the hair isn't long enough, you can message me and we can come up with a solution.
- I ask for hair closest to the tail bone because it is the healthiest hair and makes the best, most durable braids.
- Please don't send banged hair or hair cut randomly from the exterior of the tail. This hair is usually not long enough and makes an inferior braid.
- For a 4-5mm size bracelet I need about 200 hairs. This is about the diameter of a pencil or drinking straw.
- For a small braid used in a pendant or similar piece, I need around 100 hairs. This is about the diameter of a cocktail straw or toothpick.
- Make sure when you measure the diameter of the hair, you measure at least 1/2 way down the hair. The hair must be long enough for me to work with.
- 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.
- I will not process hair that is tangled, matted, or excessively dirty.
- Hair that is collected from the 'field' or stall and/or not neatly secured with a band will be charged a minimum $45.00 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 your piece of jewelry.
- If you wash the hair, please do not add any conditioners. The hair must be absolutely dry before putting it into the baggie or it will mold and be unusable.
- All unused hair will be returned with your completed piece of jewelry.
- Please contact me if you have any questions.
How do I send the hair?
What if I only have a little bit of hair?
- If you only have a little bit of hair or hair that is not long enough, please contact me and we can discuss the options available to you.
- The inset braid pieces are ideal for instances where you don't have much hair.
What if I only have 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.
- Please contact me to let me know that you will be using mane hair. I will let you know, once I receive the hair, whether I can complete your piece of jewelry.
- For Pendant styles with 2mm - 3mm braids:
- An additional $50 fee per braid applies to mane hair >= 12".
- An additional $75 fee per braid applies to mane hair between 8" and 12".
- An additional $100 fee per braid applies to mane hair between 6" and 8".
- I cannot work with hair that is less than 6".
- For bracelet styles with 4mm - 5mm braids:
- The mane hair must be at least 15". Please follow the collection instructions for how much hair I need.
- An additional fee of $75 per braid applies to mane hair.
- Mane hair is beautiful and works well in the Keystone, Horseshoe, and Bar styles as the delicate hair is protected from wear.
What do you do with the leftover hair?
- I always return the leftover hair with your piece of jewelry.
- Please include the name(s) of your horse(s) with your order so I can properly label the returned hair.
Can I send you an entire tail?
- Yes, you can send me the entire tail.
- I will wash the tail and send it back with your completed piece of jewelry.
- Please include the name of your horse with your order so I can properly label the returned hair.
How do I measure for a bracelet?
- The best way is to measure a bracelet you currently wear. Please note whether the clasp is a lobster or a toggle.
- I have a detailed description of measuring for a bracelet here: Bracelet Measurement
- Please be sure to measure carefully for your bracelet. Additional charges will apply if I have to adjust the size.