| As many string musicians know, the hair from a | | | | breeding stock, separate from the herd. |
| horse's tail has many uses. And sometimes, a | | | | But there are plenty of other equestrian cultures |
| search for it will yield references to "stallion | | | | in the world; globally, the practice of gelding isn't |
| horsetail hair." So what's the big deal about stallion | | | | as widespread as in North America. In many parts |
| hair? Is it different somehow? | | | | of Asia and the Middle East, stallions are trained |
| Well, first it's important to define our terms, and | | | | and ridden. And this is where much of the best |
| learn a little more about stallions. | | | | horsehair comes from. |
| Simply put, a stallion is a male horse that has | | | | This hair is used for arts and crafts, but most |
| been neither neutered nor castrated. In the US | | | | often it's used by luthiers, artisans who make |
| and Canada, many male horses are gelded, or | | | | violins, cellos and other stringed instruments. The |
| castrated, resulting in a type of male horse called | | | | hair is used for the instruments' bows, and strung |
| a gelding. Most equestrian activities use geldings | | | | between the bow's tip and its "frog," which keeps |
| instead of stallions, since stallions are generally | | | | the horsetail hair in place. |
| more difficult to control, and exhibit | | | | The real secret behind stallion tail hair is that it's |
| hormone-driven aggressive tendencies. Geldings | | | | essentially the same as hair from a mare's or |
| are calmer and can easily live in the same herds | | | | gelding's tail. So why would any business mention |
| as mares and other geldings. Stallions are kept as | | | | that it's selling stallion hair? |