Keeping your horse's mane and tail: how to cut it and what to make
Cut a generous lock from the tail, close to the dock and underneath, and band it tightly at the top before your horse leaves the farm. Once hair is taken and stored properly, you can decide on a bracelet, a braid or a pottery piece whenever you're ready.
By the Equine Cremation Services editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 5 min read · Sources
- Where to cut so it doesn't show
- How much hair each keepsake needs
- Storing it safely for months or years
Timing is everything
When should you cut your horse's tail hair?
Before collection, every time. Once a crematory, renderer or burial crew has taken your horse, there's no second chance. If euthanasia is planned, many owners cut hair a day or two before, when the horse is standing quietly and the moment feels less rushed. Others prefer to do it straight afterwards, with the vet's help. Because horses commonly live 25-30 years[1], many owners of an aging horse cut a lock years early, simply to have it.
Either way works. What matters is that someone is responsible for it on the day. If you think you might not manage it yourself, ask your barn manager, a friend or your vet in advance. Add it to your farewell plan so it doesn't get lost among everything else.
Step by step
How do you cut and band horse hair so it stays usable?
- Brush the tail through so the hairs lie straight. Tangles become permanent once banded.
- Choose a section from underneath, near the dock, about the thickness of your thumb or a pencil for jewelry, more for a braid or tassel.
- Band it tightly before cutting. Wrap a hair elastic, cable tie or strong tape around the section a few inches below where you'll cut. Hair that isn't secured slips apart and loses its natural order.
- Cut above the band, as close to the dock as is comfortable, to keep the full length. Longer hair gives a maker more options.
- Label it. Your horse's name, the date, and mane or tail. If you take several colors, label each one.
Mane hair is shorter and finer, which suits rings, thin weaves and some pottery work. Tail hair is longer and coarser, which is what most braiders and bracelet makers prefer. If your horse's tail is short or thin, a maker can often combine mane and tail, or blend in hair from a companion horse if that means something to you.
Months or years later
How should you store horse hair until you're ready?
Most makers ask for hair that is clean and dry. You can wash it gently in lukewarm water with a mild shampoo while it's still banded, rinse well, then hang it to dry fully before storing. Some owners prefer to leave it as it is, because the smell of the horse is part of the memory. That's a perfectly good reason; tell the maker, and they'll advise.
Store it in a paper envelope or cotton bag, somewhere dry and away from sunlight. Sealed plastic can trap moisture. Hair keeps for years like this, which matters, because many people aren't ready to choose anything for months. You don't need to decide now.
What you can make
What can you make from your horse's mane and tail?
| Keepsake | Hair needed | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Woven bracelet or anklet | A pencil-thick lock of tail, at least 12 inches long | Clasps in silver, gold or leather; several can come from one lock |
| Ring or thin charm | A small amount; mane works | Hair is set under resin or inlaid in a band |
| Tassel or keychain | A thumb-thick tail section | Often with an engraved cap bearing the horse's name |
| Horsehair raku pottery | A few strands | Hair is laid on hot pottery, leaving smoky lines; each piece is unique |
| Framed braid or shadow box | A long, full lock | Can sit with a shoe, a photo and the halter nameplate |
| Hair set in resin | Small amount | Pendants and paperweights, sometimes combined with a pinch of ashes |
Prices vary widely by maker and material, so ask for a quote with your hair length and quantity. The memorial budget planner lets you add keepsakes alongside the cremation or burial itself, so you can see the whole picture before you order anything.
What would you most want to keep from your horse?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Hair and ashes together
Can hair keepsakes be combined with your horse's ashes?
Yes, and horse owners have more ashes to work with than most. At 3-5% of body weight[2], a 1,100 lb horse returns roughly 38.5 lb[3] on our estimate, far more than a typical urn. That leaves plenty for resin pieces, keepsake urns and scattering, even after a main urn is filled. Dedicated horse urns themselves typically cost $150–$500+[4], so keepsakes often cost less than the main container.
If several people want something, the ashes sharing planner works out how many keepsakes one horse's ashes can fill. For choosing the main container, see our article on horse urn sizes.
Free tool
Ashes sharing planner
Split ashes fairly between family members, keepsake urns and jewelry.
Beyond hair
Which other keepsakes do horse owners save?
Shoes are the classic one. Ask your farrier or vet to pull a shoe before collection; it can be cleaned, mounted on wood or engraved. The halter, a nameplate from the stall door, a well-worn brush and a saddle pad all make meaningful pieces in a shadow box. Photograph the stall with its nameplate before the barn reassigns it. In the UK, GOV.UK's horse passport rules say the passport must go back to its issuing body within 30 days of death, but you can ask for the invalidated passport to be returned to you, which many owners treasure.
People are drawn to memorials. One market analysis found 56%[5] of pet owners choose some kind of memorial service, and owners of horses tend to keep more physical objects simply because a horse comes with so much equipment. Nothing needs to be thrown away quickly.
A lock of tail in a paper envelope can wait years for you. The chance to cut it can't.
Before you post the hair
How do you choose a horse hair jewelry maker?
- Ask how they keep your horse's hair separate from other customers' orders.
- Ask whether unused hair is returned to you. It should be, if you want it.
- Send photos of the hair and ask how many pieces it will make before posting it.
- Post only part of your lock at first, and keep the rest safely at home.
- Use tracked shipping; this hair can't be replaced.
If you'd like a hand with the wider arrangements, from the cremation to getting a shoe back, tell us about your horse. Our services overview explains which aftercare options still let you keep hair, shoes and ashes, and the grief article has gentler thoughts for the weeks after. If you'd like to talk to someone, Cornell's Pet Loss Support Hotline is staffed by trained veterinary students.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
What would you most want to keep from your horse?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Which memorial feels most like your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Do you keep more than one memorial for the same pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Ashes sharing planner
Split ashes fairly between family members, keepsake urns and jewelry.
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Farewell & memorial service planner
Build a simple goodbye: who, where, readings, rituals and a checklist.
Questions people ask
How much horse tail hair do I need for a bracelet?
Most makers ask for a lock roughly the thickness of a pencil and at least 12 inches long for a woven bracelet, though requirements differ. A thumb-thick lock usually covers several bracelets or a bracelet and a tassel. Ask the maker before cutting if you can, and always cut more than the minimum.
Should I wash my horse's hair before sending it to a maker?
Many makers prefer clean, dry hair, and some wash it themselves. If you wash it, keep it banded, use mild shampoo and lukewarm water, rinse well and dry it completely before storing. If you'd rather keep the hair exactly as it was, tell the maker; it's a common and understood request.
Can I still keep tail hair if my horse goes for rendering?
Yes, as long as you cut it before the collector arrives. Nothing comes back from rendering, so hair, a shoe and the halter are the keepsakes you'll have. Tell the collector you've already taken what you want, and let them know if there's anything else, such as a blanket, to remove first.
Can horsehair be used in pottery?
Yes. In horsehair raku, individual hairs are laid on pottery straight from the kiln, and they burn away leaving fine smoky lines. Only a few strands are needed, so it works even with a small lock or mane hair. Each piece looks different, which many owners find fitting.
Is it strange to keep my horse's hair for a long time before deciding?
Not at all. Many owners store hair for months or years before choosing a keepsake, and properly dried hair in a paper envelope keeps well. Grief often makes decisions feel impossible early on. Taking the hair gives you the choice later, without pressure now.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Domesticated horses commonly live 25-30 years, and horses are considered geriatric after about 15 years. PetMD (vet-written: Dr. Kaela Schraer, DVM), 2024.
- [2] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [3] A 1,100 lb horse would be expected to return roughly 38.5 lb of cremated remains (plausible range 33-55 lb). Our estimate: 1,100 lb x 3.5% (range 3%-5%). How we calculate.
- [4] Horse urns cost about $150–$500+ in Memorials.com's pet urn guide, and extra-large urns of any kind about the same. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [5] Market.us reports that about 56% of pet owners choose memorial services for their pets. Market.us — Pet Funeral Services Market report page, 2024.
Plan your horse's aftercare and keepsakes
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.