How do I tie a stock tie?

A stock tie is a long band of silk or cotton, folded and tied around the neck and held with a pin. According to R.J. Classics, it supports the neck and keeps the shirt collar in place. Horse Illustrated notes that stock ties come from foxhunting attire and were supposedly meant as a bandage or tourniquet for an injured rider. Today it's mostly a traditional finishing touch.

Whether you need one depends on your ring. Dressage riders wear them most, eventers and foxhunters commonly do, and in the hunter ring they're occasional, mostly in formal classes. Nothing in the rules we read requires a stock tie specifically. USEF's hunter rule asks for a choker, similar collar or tie, and the dressage rule lets you choose a tie, choker, stock tie or an integrated stand-up collar. Our stock ties page has the styles, and our competition guide lists stock ties among its show-apparel categories. R.J. Classics adds that some organizations have their own rules on stock tie design and use, so check yours.

If you're still working out the whole outfit, our Barn Talk on what to wear to your first horse show is the place to start.

Drape it, loop it, knot it, flatten it, pin it. The steps below follow R.J. Classics' written how-to, put in plain words. Ties are cut differently from brand to brand, so check any instructions that come with yours and watch a video if you can. Plan to practice: Horse Illustrated's author learned from online videos and practice, and her first attempt wasn't perfect either.

• Start with your shirt on and the collar in place. The top of the tie will sit over the collar and should fit snugly.
• Lay the tie around your neck with the ends hanging in front. The slit or loop is on your right near the neck, and the closed seam is on your left.
• Pass the left end through the slit or loop on your right, keeping the fabric from twisting.
• Move the loop around to the back of your neck, wrapping the extra left end so the tie lies flat across the back and the ends come around to the front again.
• Cross the right end over the left and pull it through to form a standard knot just below your chin. Tighten it.
• Finish the knot at the front so it's flat and square, pulling both ends snug but smooth. R.J. Classics' steps end in a square knot.
• Cross the ends flat over each other and push the stock pin, or a tie tack, through the layers of fabric at the knot.
• Make your last adjustments to the knot so it's smooth.

Pre-tied saves time, and traditional gives you the skill. Both still need a pin. R.J. Classics describes a traditional tie as tied by hand around the neck or collar, harder to do but a useful skill, and a pre-tied tie as fastened around the neck or collar and ready to go. Both come in a silk or cotton blend, smooth or textured piqué.

The Plaid Horse adds that the fabric is a matter of preference: silk has a smooth feel with a gentle sheen, while cotton is matte and slightly stiffer. Its advice on fit is to keep the tie comfortable, neither too tight nor too loose, and it notes that adjustable ties can be tweaked for comfort.

The rules we read don't require a pin, but tradition does, and the pin does real work. USEF's dressage attire booklet says nothing about pins, and the hunter rule doesn't mention them either. R.J. Classics says pre-tied ties still need a pin, and that foxhunting traditionally uses a white stock with a plain gold pin. A dull pin may not go through all the layers to hold things in place, according to Horse Illustrated.

About safety, we have only what the sources say. Eventing Nation's 2016 article warns that a stock pin can stick you in the neck if you're careless. We did not find guidance from a governing body about pin design, or about wearing one over fences, so if you're unsure, ask your trainer or the show secretary.

For looks, The Plaid Horse suggests choosing a pin that matches the color and design of the tie, and avoiding pins that are very large or shiny.

Dressage and eventing lean toward stock ties, the hunt field wants a white one, and the hunter ring leans toward a choker or collar. Here's how the sources describe each ring.

Horse Illustrated's author, who wore a ratcatcher collar for over 20 years, calls it the quicker and easier option that is standard in the hunter ring. The same piece notes that eventers often wear stock ties, and that most riders in the dressage warm-up were wearing them. For the hunter ring, the formal rule asks for white shirts with white stock, and for derbies and classics R.J. Classics says a shadbelly coat may be called for as well.

Look at the shirt's neck and the tie's fit before you blame the tie. We didn't find a source on stock tie chafing, so this is what the fit advice points to. The Plaid Horse says the tie should sit comfortably at the neck, neither too tight nor too loose. R.J. Classics' steps say to keep the knot snug and smooth.

If a tie bunches or looks messy, the shirt may be the culprit. Shirt necks vary a lot, and a collar that's too big won't hold a stock neatly.

If one tie bothers you, change one thing at a time: a smoother silk or a matte cotton (the feel is different), or an adjustable style. If your neck gets irritated or red, don't push through it.

With a jacket, a dressage shirt needs a tie, choker, stock tie or integrated stand-up collar, in any color. Without one, no neckwear. That's from USEF's dressage attire booklet, which summarizes rule DR120. If management waives jackets in high heat or humidity for national classes, riders still wear a shirt with sleeves and a collar and their protective headgear, but no neckwear, and T-shirts are not permitted.

In the eventing dressage phase, USEA's older rule summaries describe the same pattern: a stock with pin, choker or tie, and a collared shirt with no neckwear when the jacket is left off. White is the traditional color, per The Plaid Horse, though muted pastels suit a more contemporary look. The dressage booklet allows any color.

The Plaid Horse adds that neatly tied knots look more professional, and that the four-in-hand is the favorite among riders, with more decorative knots suggested for formal events. It recommends practicing different styles to find the one you like.

Wash it the way the label says, iron it, and pack a spare tie and pin. The Plaid Horse says silk should be hand-washed or put on a delicate cycle, while cotton is typically machine washable, and that you should iron the tie and store it properly to prevent wrinkles.

Our competition guide's pre-competition checklist includes packing spares, including a stock tie pin.