How to Order the Braided Horse Hair designs, Care Information and Guarantee

A piece of jewellery with your own horses hair is a special and personal thing to hold close and keep for many years, reminding us of their extraordinary presence, heart, nobility and love.  All Horse Hair jewellery made by Marina is with quality solid precious Sterling Silver or Gold, and ALL clasps are securely soldered for your peace of mind. 

Where do I send it?

The following directions are recommended for collecting the hair from your horse. Once you have chosen your design just post your Horse Hair to the address below. If your horse hair supply is limited I highly recommend posting by registered or express post so it has a tracking number.

Marina Andersen Jewellery
PO Box 430
Laurieton
NSW 2443
Australia
International Orders
If you are outside Australia please send me an email and I can forward information on the best way to ship your own tail hair to me. 
Information Needed for Your Order
* Design Name - please refer to the bracelet or necklace pages and let me know the name of the design you require.

* Length - This information is essential for creating a bracelet or necklace to fit the intended wearer, either for yourself or for a surprise gift.

Bracelets : You will need to measure the full circumference of your wrist ( with a flexible tape measure, or a piece of string, then measure with a ruler) and then add 1.5cm on average to get a comfortable bracelet length. If a surprise gift then measure a friend with the same wrist sizing.

Necklaces : Simply measure another necklace which fits you well, or if a surprise gift then estimate with a friend who has a similar build. (Please keep in mind the horse hair needs to be much longer in full to allow shrinkage when braided to allow for the necklace ends, not every horse has enough hair for this..)

Mane or Tail? and how much hair do I need??

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Mane or Tail?
  • Braided Bracelets and Necklaces - Only TAIL hair is suitable for braiding, as it has superior strength and length compared to the mane. 
  • Tassels - Mane hair is best, but Tail hair can also be used.
  • All unused hair will be returned to you with your order, for your safekeeping. 

How Much Hair?
  • Bracelets - need a minimum of 40cm in length, and the thickness of a pencil at the 40cm mark when measured down from the cut end, see image at left.
  • Braided Necklaces - need a minimun of 60cm in length, and the thickness of a pencil at the 60cm mark when measured down from the cut end, see image at left.
  • Braid Drop Pendants -  need a minimum of 20cm in length, and the thickness of a pencil at the 20cm mark when measured down from the cut end.
  • Tassles - need only a small lock of hair with the thickness of a pencil at the top cut end.

Combining two or more colours

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If you want your bracelet made from one horse only, then the braid pattern does not apply to you. Your bracelet or necklace will simply be the colour of your horses tail.

If you wish to include more than one horse in your design, there are three colour patterns to choose from- 
the "Stripe Braid",  "Spiral Braid", or a "Spot Braid". Note - if both of your horses have the same colour tail there will be no discernable difference, but you will know they are both there :)

As they are all variations on the same 4 strand braid you can combine up to 4 horses in the one bracelet or necklace. The width of the finished braid is about 5mm thick for all designs.
eg - Stripe Braid = 2 white, 2 black.
Spiral Braid = 2 white, 2 black.
Spot Braid = 1 white, 3 black.
You can combine more horses, but the tails will need to be combined together back into 4 parts to make the braid. 

Collecting the Hair
Before you go out to your horse/s you will need the following in your pocket-

  • Sharp Scissors
  • A plaiting rubber band for each horse ( or small elastic band)
  • A Snap-loc bag for each horse
  • Tail comb
  • Carrot :-)ing TAIL hair-
Politely stand at the tail of your horse and lift tail up. Unless recently washed, the tail will fall into its own locks / sections. Choose one closest to the very end tip of the dock bone, or slightly under the inside of the tip, as this section is not only the longest but the least likely to show when out riding etc.. 

^^See above for how much hair is needed for your design^^

Hold firmly, and carefully cut close to the tailbone. While still holding the piece, wrap the elastic band firmly around the cut end to stop it falling apart. Place inside the snap-loc bag and seal the bag flat. Give horse the carrot and a pat. If combining more than one horse in the same jewellery piece less hair from each is needed.  If you are actively showing and would prefer not to cut your horses tail thats ok, you will need to pull approximately 250 hairs in full length to make up the pencils thickness for the braid. Please secure evenly at the top with a rubber band before sending :)
The Mane
Collecting hair from the mane is much the same, just choose a place where the mane is thickest, and cut (from underneath so it wont show ) about 8mm thickness per tassle, put on the rubber band, and post. 

Payment Details
Payment is by Direct Deposit ( preferred), credit card by Paypal ( just email your details and I will send a Paypal invoice), or payment can also be included with your Horse hair with a cheque or money order. Please email first to confirm your total including postage.

Your item will be made specially for you with care and sensitivity, and mailed back within 3 weeks for most silver orders, please allow 4 weeks for gold orders. 

Full payment upon ordering is required with all Sterling Silver orders. Gold orders require 50% upon ordering and the balance on completion. 

How fragile is Horse Hair jewellery? Can I wear it all the time?
Horse Hair itself is extremely tough! However, as  with ANY jewellery, nothing is unbreakable. I personally wear my bracelets every day, however if you want your bracelet to last for many years it would be best not to wear it every day 24/7. It can get wet but I would advise removing it for safety if swimming in the ocean etc. Your clasp is securely soldered onto the end of the bracelet  for additional security. Be aware of cheaper products out there which are not soldered, or use base plated metal.

For more FAQ please go to the page Frequently Asked Questions

Guarantee
Although I am proud of the durability of the horse hair jewellery, occasional breakage may occur.  Remember that horse hair is a porous natural fibre -- anything that would damage your skin will damage the hair of your bracelet... Remember also that metal will break if is is constantly bent, so please care for your jewellery, particularly on the finer silver or gold parts!

We offer a 1 year guarantee against manufacturer errors. If this occurs send an email and mail the product back to us, and the repair is free -- your only cost is the postage! 

This guarantee does not include:
  • The normal signs of everyday wear and tear including hair abrasion.
  • Damage caused by chemicals (e.g. dyes, saltwater, chlorine, cosmetics)
  • Any damage caused by accidents or mistreatment.
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that the sterling silver or gold fittings and the horse hair itself will not break with heavy use or wearing 24/7. Just like people, horses have different hair - some is coarse, some is fine and some is thicker than others. People also have different life habits - Some people work in an office and some are out with the horses every day. With proper care of your horse hair jewelry can last for many years without breakage or need for repair, however we cannot be held accountable for breakages of hair or silver/gold caused by constant wear 24/7... sorry.