Braiding in a Tail Extension with Braided Horsehair Loop
You can braid in a tail extension anywhere from the lower third of your horse’s tail bone down to the end of the tail bone. Where you position the tail extension on the tail bone depends on how long you want the extension to hang – braid the extension in lower on the bone for a longer tail, braid the extension in higher on the bone for a shorter tail.
Before each use of your tail extension, wash and dry it for maximum fullness. Your horse’s tail should also be clean and free of tangles. Reach deep into your horse’s tail hair in the area where you want to attach the tail extension, and starting slightly off to the side, section off a portion of tail hair about as thick as your little finger. Divide that hair into three sections for braiding. Lay the horse hair loop up against your three sections, up tight against the tail bone. Begin braiding the tail hair, braiding the horse hair loop into the braid with your first crossover. BRAID TIGHTLY, and braid in a downwards direction. Braid the tail hair down about an inch or so, so the end of your braid is past the top of the tail extension. Holding firmly onto the ends, use a banding rubber band in a coordinating color to tightly band off the end of the braid. After you have completed the same steps with the loop, take the section of braided hair (the braided ends coming down from each loop), and pull it through the loops, so the braided end is on the backside of the tail extension. For extra security, wrap electric tape around the top of the tail to secure it. If your horse has a darker colored tail, black electric tape will do, otherwise find a coordinating color to the horses tail. Then brush through your horse’s tail and the tail extension to blend all the tail hairs.
Braiding in a Tail Extension with Braided Horsehair Ties
You can braid in a tail extension anywhere from the lower third of your horse’s tail bone down to the end of the tail bone. Where you position the tail extension on the tail bone depends on how long you want the extension to hang – braid the extension in lower on the bone for a longer tail, braid the extension in higher on the bone for a shorter tail.
The first time you use your tail extension, wash and dry it for maximum fullness. Your horse’s tail should also be clean and free of tangles. Reach deep into your horse’s tail hair in the area where you want to attach the tail extension, and section off a portion of tail hair about as thick as your little finger. Divide that hair into three sections for braiding. You will add the two horse hair ties from the tail extension to two of the three sections to be braided. Begin braiding the three sections of hair. BRAID TIGHTLY, and braid in a downwards direction, so the braid will blend into your horse’s tail. After you have crossed over two or three times, stop and pull on the horse hair braids of the tail extension, bringing the top of the tail extension up snug against your horse’s tail bone. It is very important to keep the top of the tail extension tight against the tail bone – if the extension hangs loose from the tail bone, it will swing free on it’s own, and separate from your horse’s own tail hair. After you have pulled the horse hair braids snug, continue braiding (tightly!) until you are one or two inches from the ends of the horse hair braids. Holding firmly onto the ends, use a banding rubber band in a coordinating color to tightly band off the end. At the 10 O’clock position at the back of the tail extension, pull free a pencil thick section of hair from near the top of the extension. Take the same amount of hair from your horse’s tail, and braid the two together, tightly braiding down about two inches. Band off the braid. Do the same braiding at the 2 O’clock position at the back of the tail extension. To secure all three braids between the tail extension and your horse’s tail hair, part the tail extension hair in two towards the top of the tail extension. Pull your first braid through the part, and band it together with your 10:00 and 2:00 braids at the back of the tail extension – this will keep all your braids out of sight. Brush through your horse’s tail to blend all the tail hairs.