1. Remove burrs, sticks, mud, etc.
2. Pick up horse’s tail; hold tailbone horizontally.
3. Select a pencil thick “icicle” or “dread-lock” of long hair hanging from the bone.
4. Cut it off carefully with a pair of small scissors. Cut at least one “pencil” for a 4-ply braid, 1.5 “pencils” for a 6-ply braid, 2 “pencils” for an 8-ply braid, and 3 “pencils” for a 12-ply braid.
5. Secure removed “ponytail” with a rubber band or tie tightly with string.
6. Coil “pony tail” and place inside a zip-lock bag. Label bag with your name and your horse’s name. If sending hair from multiple horses, place each one’s hair in a separate bag.
7. Contact me at https://swishtails.wordpress.com/contact-me/ for mailing address.
NOTE: Videos are available on You Tube. Try typing in “how to cut horsehair for a bracelet” or something very similar.
Swishtails Custom Horsehair Jewelry and Books 
Should the tail be washed and conditioned prior to cutting the hair?
Hi, Rene. Just remove debris (mud, burrs, sticks, hay, etc.) from the tail hair that you are going to cut (carefully from under the dock) and rubber band the cut “pony tail” near the dock end. I will shampoo it when I get it. (Conditioning isn’t necessary.) Check “How to Collect Hair from your Horse” on the menu bar for more info. Thanks for writing, Janet