It is believed that working with horsehair came into existence for the very first time in Space in the 8th century. The art was then spread to the US where it evolved with time. Hitching horsehair, a lengthy art which would take a lot of time, was adopted by prisoners during the mid 19th century, as a measure to make constructive use of the prolonged time they had at their disposal. There are a lot of books which talk about how horsehair can be hitched.
Briefly speaking, the hair is made fit to hitch by washing and conditioning. The horse 'hair pulls' for hitching are made by pulling up 8-12 hairs, depending on the thickness of the hair. Hitching is basically done by creating a series of half-hitches over string on a core. Pieces are then compressed by putting them in a metal press. Patterns can be as imaginative as the hitcher's wants to be. You do not have to worry about the damage to the horsehair; it can be damaged only if burned or cut. For more information, you can go to www.canadianmoose.com
Briefly speaking, the hair is made fit to hitch by washing and conditioning. The horse 'hair pulls' for hitching are made by pulling up 8-12 hairs, depending on the thickness of the hair. Hitching is basically done by creating a series of half-hitches over string on a core. Pieces are then compressed by putting them in a metal press. Patterns can be as imaginative as the hitcher's wants to be. You do not have to worry about the damage to the horsehair; it can be damaged only if burned or cut. For more information, you can go to www.canadianmoose.com