Questions on Silberschweif

What kind of horse is the Silberschweif horse?

The Silberschweif horse is the registered P.R.E. (Pura Raza Espanola) stallion Jubiloso XLV. His father is Mahometano IX, his mother is Jubilosa IX, and he was bred by Maria Luisa Pol de Nunez of Sevilla, Spain. The stallion is owned by Marie-Christine Cammas and I am very happy to be able to express my gratitude to her for allowing me to use his picture on my website.

Update: Since July 2015 Jubiloso aka Jubi is my horse and lives as a gelding thoroughly happy in a gelding herd.

Jubi's first day with his new friends after living nearly twelve years as a stallion solitarily.

How long does it take?

There is no mass production at Silberschweif's. Therefore it will take two to three weeks to finish your jewelry. In urgent cases I can braid your jewelry in some days if there is no engraving desired.

Can I send you hair from my own horse?

Yes, please! That is what makes my jewelry so special. Please be sure to follow the directions for harvesting horse hair found under the link Tail Hair.

Can I send mane hair?

I usually only use tail hair for my jewelry creations due to its strength and length. Mane hair is generally too short and too thin for long lasting Silberschweif creations. Of course, the exception proves the rule: in special cases, mane hair can be processed, provided it is long enough and strong enough.

How should I collect tail hair for horsehair jewelry?

1. Each time a horse sheds its summer or winter coat, lots of tail hairs are shed as well. If you are patient enough, you can collect the shed tail hairs and sort them out into bundles using little rubber bands. This takes quite awhile.... It is important that the hairs are sorted so that all of the root ends are at one end of the bundle.
   
   
2. If you are in a bit more of a hurry, you can always pull out mini hair bunches much like trimming the horse's mane for a show. Simply grasp a few tail hairs at a time and pull them out, always moving from point to point on the tail to avoid aggravating the horse. Please be sure to sort the hairs with the root ends at one end of the bundles. This method works best when the tail is freshly washed and combed out. It is best to use a shampoo that does not contain silicone or oil.
   
   
3. The fastest method also requires a freshly shampooed and combed tail. Grab a small bundle of hairs at the underside of the base of the tail. Pull the shorter hairs away from the bundle so that a thin strand of long hairs remains in the hand. Cut off these long hairs and repeat the procedure until enough hairs have been harvested. It is important that the hairs are harvested throughout the tail and not only on one single area.
   
   
4. For those of us who are in a rush and who happen to have horses with awesome long hair, there is also a solution. Washing a mega tail in early December is not an option in some latitudes. Simply grasp a small bundle of hairs on the underside of the tail and cut it off as close to the base as possible. The bundle will contain some long and some shorter hairs. Do this on several different locations under the tail. The main point is to get enough long hairs, which can be judged at the end of the bundle. The total number of long hairs should be about the diameter of a wooden pencil for a medium plait.

Please never cut hair directly under the end of the bony tail. The cut will be visible for months when the horse rises his tail.

No matter how the hairs have been harvested, it is very important that they be bound together with a simple rubber band. Do not braid, twist or knot the hairs, but simply coil the bundle loosely in a zip lock bag and include a piece of paper with the name of the horse and your name. In case hairs from different horses are being sent, please use a separate bag for each horse.

Last, but not least, a simple request: Please only harvest hairs from your own horse or from a horse whose owner has explicitly allowed you to remove tail hair. Even though you may like to surprize someone with a special gift, removing something that does not belong to you in order to return it to its rightful owner in modified form could very well backfire on the gift giver, however well intentioned the gesture may have been. So please, no surprizes. Just let anticipation be the greatest pleasure up to the completion of gift.

How much hair is needed?

Bracelet

For a bracelet with a diameter 6 mm an even strand of hair with 45 cm length will be enough.

Necklace

For a necklace an even strand of hair 75 cm long will be enough.

Short hair

If you only have shorter hair I can plait two braids and connect them within a broad tubular bead.

Musst I wash the hair?

No you don't need to wash the hair. I prefer to wash the hair on my own to make sure that the adhesive will last.

Can I wear my horsehair bracelet permanently?

It is a good idea to remove horse hair jewelry before doing yardwork or other hard labour. It is very likely that single hairs will get brocken. Please protect your horse hair jewelry carefully in a jewelry case or other protective enclosure when not wearing it for an extended period of time to avoid damage due moths.

How should I care for my horsehair jewelry?

Horse hair is very durable and should last for a long time with minimal care. The jewelry can be washed with a mild (baby) shampoo.You should not wear horsehair jewelry next to a watch or other jewelry, since sharp edges could possibly damage the jewelry and cause unnecessary wear and tear.