Orange County woman adds color to equestrian community with handmade horse wigs

An Orange County cowgirl is adding some color to the equestrian community. Her creativity is more than just a piece of art — but a symbol of representation. 

"I put a lot of work, sweat and tears into this product and they work very well," said Chanel Rhodes, owner and founder of Mane Tresses.

Rhodes of Anaheim has made a business out of making colorful horse wigs. 

"When you first hear 'horse wig' you think joke, funny, silly. Sure it's a little whimsical," Rhodes said. "If a horse is running, rolling, it doesn't impede their movement at all. It really means a lot and it has opened a whole new world to me as well."

The idea came to her in February 2019, when she decided to create a hairpiece for her horse that also had a deeper meaning beyond the cosmetic look. 

"I am a first generation equestrian so I didn't know that I could do this. I asked my mom due to lack of representation, 'Do Black people ride horses?' I had never seen one on TV," Rhodes said.

The hairpiece was known as an "Afrocentric pony," showcasing the power, authenticity, and creativity of the Black cowgirl. By January 2021 Rhodes launched her company "Mane Tresses."

The one-of-a-kind hair pieces are custom-made and easy to put on. The wigs combine Rhodes's love of horses, art and style.

"On the opposite side of the neck, it gives a very seamless look, see it looks like it is coming out her neck," Rhodes said. "From far away it looks like the horse has grown that hair, that she got a good dye job."

She makes the horse wigs for the mane, tail and forelock. They can be bright, multi-colored, color-matched and even glow in the dark.  

"When I first created them, I wanted to make something that was easy to install, and lightweight for the horse. I am not the one that invented extensions for the horse, they have already been out there. All I did was make them out of synthetic hair instead of real horse hair to make it more affordable for more equestrians," she said.

While the product itself is fun and creative, another way to bond with the horse, it's also bringing communities together to think differently. The wigs also help horses that don't have full tails.

"I want to bring people together, from all walks of life, not from one neighborhood or the next," Rhodes said. "It's not just about the product. It is about eventually being able to help others. So, I use this as a platform to talk about representation and how it's important to inspire people to think outside of the box."