A Helpful Tip

   Often when horsehair is given to me for jewelry making, the hair is badly stained, and of course white hair is the worst!   So for those of you who show, and want that perfectly clean white tail, I'll share with you a couple of the tricks I've learned to really get the green out, while leaving the hair undamaged and manageable.
   First the best whitening "shampoo" I've found is liquid laundry detergent. Anything that is tough on "grass" stains will work, though my preference is Tide because of its blue colour and nice smell.  After using laundry detergent on horsehair it is important to follow up with a regular shampoo and a good quality conditioner because the detergent alone will leave the hair stripped of its natural oils, making the hair unmanageable. 
    Sometimes the detergent wash is enough to leave the hair gleaming, but if not the next thing I try is plain white vinegar.  Vinegar works great because often times the reason for the stain is alkaline in the soil bonds with individual hairs giving it a "green patina".   Soaking the hair in vinegar for 10-15 minutes breaks up the soil layer on the hair making it easier to remove by means of vigorous combing while the hair is still wet with the vinegar.  Rinse and repeat the process as needed.  This type of vinegar rinse also works well at eliminating stubborn odours from horsehair.  Again, when finished with the vinegar rinse, following up with a good shampoo and conditioner is important to restore oils and softness to the hair. 
    A few things NOT to use;  Chlorine bleach is rarely effective and will turn your green stain yellow rather than removing it.  Hydrogen peroxide again is only limitedly effective and can make the hair brittle so it breaks when brushed.  Commercial hair bleaches sold at beauty stores are terrible, horsehair soaks up so much of these products that the hair can be left with an almost sticky sponge-like texture or brittle and dry like straw. 

Remembering a Real Star

     Stella means star in Italian and the horse I've become acquainted, with through the reminisces of her owner, really lived up to her name.  Often, horsemen who have lost a dear equine companion feel like never having another horse again, but eventually find there is a time when they are able to move on and love another horse, Stella came into Jane's life at just such a time.  Even though the Clydesdale mare wasn't exactly what Hunter/Jumping rider Jane was looking for, there was an instant connection between them and Stella came to fill a hole in Jane's life in a whole new way. Even though their partnership only lasted 6 years, before EPM made life too painful for Stella to continue on, she had left a large imprint on those around her who loved her; as evidenced by the fact that Jane now has two more Clydesdales and is spending her time learning about driving concepts these days.
     When Jane sent part of Stella's tail and forelock to me she enclosed a picture of Stella and a letter that moved me to tears.  It had been over a year since Stella's passing and Jane was finally to a place where she could look at the mare's hair again and so she entrusted it to me, to make 2 memorial bracelets for her.  I was captivated by the beautiful photo and obvious connection of horse and rider.   I did something I don't usually do, I had lots of time on my hands due to an injury and I spent that time sketching a portrait of Stella, which I sent to Jane along with the bracelets.

 

Old Friends With New Lives

    It's an inevitable truth that the only thing constant in life is change.  Calvin is a youth show horse, which means his life's work is to take care of young riders as they learn the art of showing horses.  Because Calvin is so good at his job he has been blessed to have good homes.   As Calvin patiently teaches his young riders they begin to grow into experienced horsemen.  In time his riders need to move on to horses that are more challenging, giving them a chance to build their skills on the foundation of confidence that was Calvin's gift to them. Then it is Calvin's time to move on to help his next young rider.
  Recently, Calvin has made such a move to teach a new rider, but as a final farewell the mother of his former rider had a bracelet made from a few of his tail hairs to commemorate the time spent together as horse and rider.  I was only given the instructions "match the copper colours in his coat".  Below is the resulting bracelet.

Louisiana Style's First Win

   Cathy, has been a professional horse trainer for over twenty years, and I know first hand she has both a real knowledge of the horse industry and great talent/skill when it comes to training.  Her latest project is Louisiana Style, or "Dotti" as she is known around the barn, it is amazing what she has been able to do with Dotti.  Dotti was born on Cathy's ranch, she was bred and trained to be a race horse, she didn't do too badly on the track either, but fearing the rigours of racing would break Dotti down at a young age Cathy decided to change her career from race horse to western pleasure horse, two jobs that couldn't be more different!  Dotti has been up to the challenge and after only a year of retraining she will be entering her first schooling show next weekend.   I predict a lot of ribbons the future, Cathy and Dotti make a great team.
   It was less than two years ago that Dotti won her first race, and it was that occasion Cathy decided to commemorate with a bracelet made from Dotti's tail hair.  She had a bracelet made from rawhide that she had purchased at a horse show and worn for many years, before the clasp broke. She had been very fond of the rawhide bracelet so she asked me to use the beads with Dotti's hair to make a new bracelet as a memento of Dotti's first win on the track. Below are the before and after pictures of that bracelet.

                                      The Original Rawhide Bracelet

                                   The Bracelet Made From Dotti's Tail

In The Beginning...

    Ideas have to come from somewhere.  My idea to begin creating jewelry from horsehair sprung from tragedy.  Anyone who has become attached to a horse knows how hard it can be to lose their equine partner and will understand the way I felt when a horse I had owned for only a short time died unexpectedly from a stroke; he was less than 3 years old.  While I was devastated at his loss, it made me think of my other horses, my first horse, Patche, who my grandfather bought for me as a colt and has been mine for over 15 years now, and Indiana who has been with me for 10 years teaching me more about horses than any human ever could have.  I knew that I wanted to keep a part of them with me forever, so I looked for a place I could get a bracelet made from their tail hair, but the prices were way out of my range. I began experimenting and soon discovered that I could make my own jewelry from their tails.
   Then I adopted Fargo from a local horse rescue and an idea came to me;  why not use the horses' own tails to help raise funds to help support their upkeep.   I began donating horsehair jewelry to the rescue to sell at fund raisers.  That is how I started making custom horsehair jewelry for other people and taking my designs to art & craft shows.  I still get most of the horsehair I use in my designs from the horses awaiting adoption and I donate a percentage of my profits to the rescue.
   This blog will center on the custom designs I've made and the stories behind the horses and people that have together formed bonds that are worth commemorating with a horsehair keepsake.