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Braided Horsehair

Horsehair strands are braided into groups of eight to form "square braids." The color and combination of the braids are used to form the basic design and pattern for the belts. Lastly, the square braids are hand-stitched together completing the desired pattern in the hair blank, a process that requires hours of work. At this point, the belt is formed by cutting the hair blank to size, skiving, gluing and sewing the hair blank into a hand-trimmed leather end and buckle. Please allow 90 days for production.

CH4422 Braided Tack Set in Pattern "603W", Headstall, Breastcollar, Noseband & Reins $550.
 

CH4424 Braided Breastcollars offered in Narrow and Wide widths, $175.

CH4426 Braided Reins, Inside: Roping
Outside: Split $125.

For our Headstalls, Reins and NARROW BRAID Breast Collars, select a Narrow braid style from the chart below.

101N

104N

202N

203N

903N

902N

600N

603N

604N

606N

For our Headstall, Reins, and WIDE BRAID Breast Collars, select a wide braid style from the chart below.

600W

603W

604W

606W

201W

203W

101W

102W

104W

402W

CH4428 Braided Browband, Single Buckle shown in pattern 201W $145.

CH4430 Braided Browband, Double Buckle shown in 106W pattern $155.

Product Care

Leather billets can be treated with saddle soap or a neutral colored shoe polish.  For silver trim, it is best to use one of the many available silver cleaners; silver polishing cloths are very convenient and prevent liquid polish from getting on the braids or leather trims.  The horsehair can be cleaned with a damp cloth and some hand soap.

Horsehair tends to have a "strong memory" unless it is moistened. Misshapen braids can be straightened by dampening the horsehair with a wet cloth and allowed to dry. Once dry it will retain its new shape. The hair should not be soaked-- particularly not the "strong" colors such as turquoise, red and blue since the vegetable dyes can run and stain adjacent braids.  Loose hairs sticking out of a braid can be clipped off carefully using nail clippers without affecting the integrity of the braid in question.

History of Horsehair

For centuries, master craftsmen in cultures throughout the world have woven fine horsehair into pieces of art. From the traditional Korean wedding garb, to the peasant wear of Bronze Age Celtics, to the "devil's violin" used since the middle ages in the Kaszenby region on the Baltic Sea, horsehair has stood the test of time for its natural beauty and ability to withstand the elements. This tradition was brought to the raw plains of America with the waves of early immigrants who marveled as they settled into the majestic mountains of Colorado.

While the common use of horsehair has dwindled and has almost been forgotten over time, it is rumored that its survival may be attributed to the work of prisoners who had the time to whittle away at the intricate art of braiding horsehair into belts, horse tack and other products.