Horse Hair

All about flies Fly Tying
1

Is there a use for horse hair (the hair from the tail) in fly tying?

Regards,
paff

2

makes great segmented bodies…ribbing etc.

3

Tie most of my mosquitos with horse hair. They’re very durable and well received by the trouts!

Trouts don’t live in ugly places

4

At the rear end…note he indicated the tail.

5

I USED to use dyed horse (tail) hair for making great segmented worms. Vinyl rib does the job now.

I got mine from a music store: violin bow hair.

6

paflyfisher,

On the Big Lost river in Idaho, near the town of Mackay two phenomenons are evident:

  1. The popularity of a local pattern called the Mackay Special
  2. The threadbare appearance of the tails attached to the horses in the county

You draw your own conclusion.

Cheers,
Hans W

=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier

7

Also here in S.E. Idaho, I cut my flynymphing teeth on a fly called a Sandy Mite, which uses horsehair woven with orange (usually) floss, for the belly,with the horsehair swept back at the head, for legs. Some of the locals here were kept busy watching for marauding tail and mane nappers, especially strawberry blonde manes and tails. This fly works real well on the South Fork, but isn’t fished much because it’s a bit hard to come by horsehair, and it is a bit busy to tie.

Lew

8

How long does it take for horsehair [tail] to grow back???

9

Lew,

Replace the orange floss by red wool, and you have the Mackay Special.

Cheers,
Hans W

=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier

10

Thanks all. Here are some comments:

I found horse hair from my horse of course!

Truth be told, my wife’s horse of 23 years just died on Thursday and it is customary in her English riding circles to trim a portion of the tail to braid.

I wanted to also pay my respect by tying up a nice fly using some of the long coarse horse tail hair.

Hans - I love your reply regarding the phenomenons.

Regards in this time of her grief.
paff

11

I am so sorry for you and your wife’s loss and grief …they can be like family…I hope your fly turns out to be a thing of joy.

12

Hi paflyfisher,

The hair makes for great spent wings on many patterns too!

Regards,

    Mark
13

Horse hair can be bought at almost any leather shop so can a lot of other furs and hides. Just my 2 cents. John
[url=http://home.comcast.net/~bassman540/johnsfliesandswaps.html:58422]http://home.comcast.net/~bassman540/johnsfliesandswaps.html[/url:58422]

I wish you all everlasting flies and tight lines.

14

At the risk of being proven wrong I seem to remember that some of the first fly lines used Stallion Tail Hair. Please note that male horse hair was specified due to the way male and female animals urinate, and that urine weakens the fibers. The fibers were then woven and waxed heavily.

“Illegitimus nil Carborundum”

15

Fish N Nick,

That was my ultimate goal - a display case of the fly. I could use some help finding some instructions on doing that.

Hans - went to your site but could not find the mackay special.

Ducksterman - thanks for your sentiments.

Regards,
paff

16

George Kelsons “Little Inky Boy”,the one that got him in all that trouble,tied with horsehair body. CJ

17

LOL Hans…here, my daughter would have me drawn & quartered…all the years of all the diff breeds & manner of color of my horses & I have never tied with their material…guess I should try it…have enough of the stuff !

“…so many fish, so many flies…do I have enough time?”