As most of our customers know, horsetail hair has a wide variety of uses. But why is stallion horsetail hair so special? Is it more special than mare's hair? Why specify that you're selling stallion horsetail hair?

First, let's define our terms. When we're talking about stallion horsetail hair, first we should know a little bit about stallions.

A stallion is simply a male horse that hasn't been neutered or castrated. It's the opposite of a gelding, which is a castrated male horse (the word "gelding" is also a verb, as in the term "gelding the horse"). Many types of equestrian activities use geldings instead of stallions, as geldings don't exhibit the types of hormone-driven behavior that a stallion might. Stallions are generally perceived as harder to control, and it's a well-earned reputation; geldings in general are more calm and can live more peacefully with females and other geldings. In Europe and the Americas, stallions are kept separate from the herd, as breeding stock.

But not all equestrian cultures geld horses, and in many parts of the world, the practice of gelding us unusual, and stallions are actually tamed and ridden. This happens most frequently in the Middle East, and in Asia -- where some of the best horsetail hair in the world comes from.

Horsetail hair is mostly used by luthiers, or artisans who make stringed instruments like violins and cellos. They use horsetail hair to make the bows for these instruments; a ribbon of horsetail hair is strung between the tip of the bow and the "frog" at the bottom end, which holds the horsetail hair in place.

And here's the secret about stallion horsetail hair: It's not much different from horsetail hair from a gelding or a mare.

So why would a business specify that it's selling stallion horsetail hair?

It's simple. The best horsetail hair is Mongolian horsetail hair. It tends to be finer than hair from other sources, as well as slightly more elastic. It works better in dry climates.

And it's from an ages-old culture that hasn't changed substantially in thousands of years.

As with many equestrian cultures in Asia, Mongolian breeders don't geld their horses. So all of the male horses -- from which much of the horsetail hair comes from -- are stallions. Thus, when people use the term "stallion horsetail hair," they're usually referring to horsetail hair from a Mongolian or other Asian source.

Wagman Primus finds the finest horsetail hair -- and other products -- from the best sources around the world. Check out our product listing, or contact us for more information.