What could be more environmentally friendly than using a pure resource to make a wonderful array of stunning effects, from brushes, jewellery, fabrics, pots and the bows for musical instruments.
If you have ever been an equine enthusiast you will know all about the bond and partnership that grows between you and a horse, this bond can last forever and you never truly get over the loss of your equine friend.
This partnership between horse and man has probably been around from as early as 30,000 BCE but their very first relationship would have been as mans food source. These horses would have been truly wild, with a fiery free spirit.
For those equine enthusiasts who want to keep a piece of their horse with them at all times, maybe as a tribute after death or because you both just won a show jumping contest, whatever the reason a beautiful hand made souvenir could be the answer.
I recently got the chance to interview a young lady who makes these beautiful bespoke bracelets. Here is what she had to say.
How did you get interested in making jewellery from horsetail hair?
It’s very satisfying! To be able to take something ordinary (and often a little smelly!) and turn it into a beautiful and fashionable trinket that you can keep close to you at all times is a wonderful feeling and I’m often amazed at the lovely natural colours of some of the hair samples.
What appealed to you most about working with such a natural resource?
Horsehair has been used for hundreds of years! In the 1800’s children used to sit all day and weave horsehair cloth on looms. The practice began to fade out around 1870 as children had to attend school by law. Nowadays we have cars, so horsehair is harder to get hold of. However, to make bracelets you only need a small amount of hair from the tail. This practice is ancient and I think it’s great to take an old practice and use it in a modern way. Horsehair is also a VERY environmentally friendly product! I often stand in the garden and sort through the hair, as I know that naturally birds will make use of any stray hair for their nests.
What kind of people are you targeting with this jewellery?
I target a lot of people who have lost their beloved four legged friend or just want to keep their horse close to them at all times. They also make beautiful gifts for friends or family.
Could you make them for people who don’t own a horse or pony?
I want to keep them as personal as possible as I feel that the personal aspect of the bracelets pays a large part in it. However those who don’t own a horse but loan or ride at a riding school could ask permission to use their favourite horses hair instead.
Is it only the UK that you supply this jewellery for?
For the time being yes. It’s a young business and it wouldn’t be cost effective for my clients to send hair all the way over here, nor would it be environmentally friendly.
Can you make any items other than bracelets or necklaces?
At the moment I only offer bracelets but hope to offer lots more exciting things in the future. My website is based on a blog, so I am able to keep my clients up to date with any new designs such as key rings and necklaces.
Is it okay to cut sections out of horse’s tails?
Yes, I encourage people to carefully take their section of hair from the middle of the tail, just under the dock. This way you can’t see the cut section and it will grow back, just like human hair does.
How much do you have to cut out to make a bracelet?
To ensure that all the hairs are long enough, I encourage people to cut at least a foot’s length but it only needs to be about a pencil width in thickness. You could use two different horsetails in one bracelet. Which works really well if they are two different colours.
Could you dye the hair?
Yes the hair could be dyed just like human hair, with obviously varying results depending on the colour of the hair in the first place. For example, a black tail would be very difficult to dye.
I don’t dye the hair and only work with it as I receive it for the time being but my customers are more than welcome to experiment themselves and send it to me.
I would like to look into a few dying techniques for future designs too but at the moment I love the natural colours already in the hair.
Thank you Lucy.
Author lillyrose 30/4/2010
To visit Lucy’s blog, go to http://ponytailsjewellery.wordpress.com/
All photographs were done by www.leverton-photography.co.uk/
