Horse hair brushes has fascinated me since I got into traditional wetshaving – not only are they traditional (until the anthrax scare, they were the most common brush) but they are also animal friendly.

The Vie-Long 13051M is my first pure horse, and even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea it’s a keeper for me.

I tend to prefer small brushes, since that makes them useful for both face and bowl lathering. the 13051M has a 21mm knot and a 50mm loft, and holds plenty of lather. It has plenty of backbone, and lots of scritch – if you got sensitive skin or prefer a fluffy, cloudy brush… this is not the brush for you.

If you’re in the market for a smallish brush that is animal friendly and don’t mind the scritch, I can recommend the Vie-Long 13051M