"The purpose of the horsehair itself was to act as a bridging agent, controlling the 'shrinkage' of the plaster and helping to hold the plaster 'nibs' together, the 'nibs' being crucial to the performance and longevity of the plaster.
It was not uncommon for other animal hair to be used in plaster mixtures, but the long hair found on the tail of horses make for the perfect plaster mixture."
The purpose of the horsehair itself was to act as a bridging agent, controlling the 'shrinkage' of the plaster and helping to hold the plaster 'nibs' together, the 'nibs' being crucial to the performance and longevity of the plaster.It was not uncommon for other animal hair to be used in plaster mixtures, but the long hair found on the tail of horses make for the perfect plaster mixture."