How to colour match and use 'Fake It' Mane and Tail Enhancements

Are you struggling with a thin mane or in the midst of growing one out?

Hairy Pony Fake It Mane and Tail Enhancements are your secret weapon for creating a jaw-dropping and flawless braid. In this edition of our Learning Hub, brand ambassador Laura Wallace takes us through the process for using Fake Its, as well as a highly anticipated guide on colour matching for your horse.

Step by Step Guide

Step 1

Prepare and divide your mane as normal. Apply Hairy Pony Taming Wax to the base of the mane to keep everything smooth and secure.

Top tip: Always use the Hairy Pony Braiding Mousse when using the Fake-It hair, this will provide the grip to stop the fake hair from slipping down and separating from the real hair.

Step 2

Divide your section of mane into three parts in preparation to plait. Holding the middle section upwards, place the Fake It hair underneath, tight to the neck and then split the strands of Fake It so you have three even sections of combined mane and Fake It.

Step 3

Use the Hairy Pony Fastening Scissors to secure the middle section of the natural mane and Fake It together, this will hold the Fake It in place.

Step 4

Plait your three sections of Fake It and mane tightly as normal

Step 5

Measure the length of the plait - about the length of your index finger will create a nice rosette when stitched.

Step 6

Secure the end of the plait with an elastic plaiting band.

Step 7

Gently remove the Fastening Scissors from the finished plait - ensuring not to wiggle or pull too firmly as this will loosen the plait.

Step 8

Stitch the plait in as per normal. When the time comes to take the plait out, carefully snip the thread and remove the Fake It, ready to reuse at the next show.

Top tips for colour matching from our Ambassador Olivia Palfreyman

In most cases, the Mid Brown coloured Fake It is a good allrounder that sits into the hair well. It suits the red manes, assuming the hair is not a pale shade, and blends well as you move towards brown. Chestnut is best suited to very bright orange-based manes. If you're looking for a darker chestnut use the Mid Brown instead.

For very dark brown manes, Black is a better option than the Mid Brown. In this case, the Mid Brown is the wrong tone, and the contrast makes the texture difference stand out. It’s best to err on the side of too dark rather than too light for colour choices.

In the reference photos, see the Mid Brown Fake It on a very dark brown mane, which isn’t recommended. The same mane is shown with Black for comparison.”

Black mane – Black Fake It

Mid-Brown on two different chestnuts.

Mid-Brown vs Black on a dark brown mane.