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.