I do the same thing as Kiwi. It's probably more cost effective than trying to buy tinsel specifically for pony hair. The embroidery thread comes in all kinds of colors and it's pretty easy to use. I just tape the end to a book that's about a foot wide and wind it around the book until I think I have enough strands for my project. I tape the other end to the book and cut at one spot on the book ( generally cut along one end rather than in the middle). It does curl a bit, but if you lay something on top of the hank it's easy to grab a strand or two at a time.