Tying with Horse Hair

budgie · #1 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 01:29 PM

I have just been given some hair from the mane of a horse. The individual hairs are about 10-12 inches long. Never having tied with this material before, I wondered whether there is a need to prepare the hair (i.e. soaking in water) before using. Any thoughts or suggestions of patterns to try?

arkle · #2 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 01:41 PM

Back in the late 1960's (I think) Geoff Bucknall used
black & white hair closely wound on a standard hook to make a fly called a "Footballer" buzzer.

There is a U.S. firm that's re-marketing dyed horse-hair for quill bodies & it looks very nice. You may need to soften it slightly on smaller hook sizes, warm water should be fine.

A. Fluker · #3 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 01:47 PM

You would remember that wouldn't you!

dabhoy · #4 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 02:27 PM

Im sure that there are quite a few of the old North country spiders that use horse hair.

Chris Reeves · #5 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 09:33 PM

Horse hair is easy to use, it shouldn't need soaking or anything, just pick out a nicle long clean hair, tie it in along the whole body and wrap carefully in touching turns to give a nice even segmented body. As mentioned, the Footballer was tied with Black and White hairs wrapped side by side.

Cheers

Buzz · #6 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 09:51 PM

I started using horse hair to create very subtle ribs on Olive dun imitations at the end of last season with good results.
Very keen to try them again next month

sweenytodd · #7 (**permalink**) 17-02-2010, 10:23 PM

I take it this is mane and tail hair we are talking about here ?? Will have to give it a go as have got horses , is donkey hair any good ?? as I have some of them also