There has been some speculation as to the first use of horsehair. Louis Bonaparte wearing a dragoon helmet with mane Mongolia produces 900 tons of horsehair per year. It comes primarily from stallions and costs $150–$400 per pound because of the sorting needed to extract long hairs. Hair for bows comes from tails of horses in cold climates, and is sorted by size. Most horsehair comes from slaughtered horses.

In the early 1900s, surgeons would use horsehair and silver wires to suture the incisions needed for a facelift. One historic use was for gloves commonly used for fishing in the medieval age leading up to the 17th century in cold climates. The hair is spun together and made into very long lines. The most widely applied use for horsehair is in the fishing line. The use of horsehair for fishing has a wide range of applications. Another use in the art community comes from pottery and basket weaving where the hair is used for distinct accents and styling. Horsehair is used for violin and other stringed instrument bows. Horsehair is desirable for paint brushes because of its smooth lay and ability to hold a large amount of paint acting as a reservoir and allowing the painter to stop less frequently. The hair is processed, cut to size and fitted to paint brushes that are used for anything from painting walls to painting pictures to be hung in galleries. Horsehair for Painting and for hat brushes are two of the areas where horsehair is still widely used today.

It is used to make some wall and fine arts paintbrushes. Horsehair is used for the crafts of horsehair hitching, horsehair braiding, pottery, and in making jewelry items such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings and barrettes. Horsehair fabrics are sought for their lustre, durability and care properties and mainly used for upholstery and interiors.

Horsehair fabrics are woven with wefts of tail hair from live horses and cotton or silk warps. Mane hair is shorter and softer than tail hair.

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