Let's see what happens when we rein in that attitude! On my second custom Alborozo, the most difficult part comes first - removing all of the mane that is laid flat to the neck.

Remove original mane

This required a couple of hours with a Dremel motor tool. After that, a lot of sculpting was needed to try and match the muscle detail that was lost. 

Sculpt top part of mane and let dry

This is a pretty challenging model to work with because of this, a much simpler path would be to use any number of molds that have the mane off the neck completely. Remember when adding new epoxy, first rough up the plastic with sandpaper, and make sure you clean the dust off with soap and water, before trying to stick the epoxy clay onto the neck. It's critical that the epoxy has a rough, clean surface to stick to.

Pulling out my references, I decide to go with a fun French Braid on this fellow, for an elegant Baroque look. I start by mixing up a bit of epoxy, and only sculpt the top portion of the mane. I let this first part dry completely before moving on. Next, I make a snake of epoxy that is slightly thinner at one end.

Add coil of epoxy to bottom of mane

Looking carefully at the references as I go, I shape it into a braid to resemble the photographs.

Finish braid detail

 

For the tail, I cut off one "chunk" of tail that seemed to be blowing wildly out of place, and sanded down the excess. I reworked a thin layer on top to form a smooth, tame and well-groomed tail worthy of a Dressage ring.

The finished braid

Whatever the mood you'd like to create, here are some hints. Most important, have an idea of the feeling or expression you'd like, and try to visualize or even sketch out the mane and tail you'd like before you ever mix up your epoxy. Once you have style figured out, remember that you can use layers to build an underlying framework by cutting off lengths of wire and adding epoxy to this support. Be aware of the breed you'd like to represent, and keep it correct. Braids or banded show manes should be neat and tidy, and in correct scale. If you're sculpting long manes and tails, take into consideration performance elements, like saddles or breast collars.

Now you're ready to give it a try! Have fun and be creative, and go give that custom model horse a salon-worthy new style!