How to tie a neat Stock for when you are competing, following hounds or riding!

Tying a stock can be a bit of a fiddle, but a little practice and a few simple instructions and you’ll be a pro in no time!

In this week’s blog post and accompanying video, I wanted to show you two ways to tie a good, neat and smart stock. Whether you’re hunting, cross country, eventing and dressage or competing side saddle, there’ll be no more stressful stock-tying!!!

I’m wearing a stock shirt for the purposes of the video tutorial, but you can just wear a polo neck and in fact, I find those super comfortable and cosy in the winter months.

Start by placing your Stock against the front of your neck with the buttonhole front and centre. Fasten it to the button on your shirt. Wrap both ends of the stock around your neck from front to back, push the opposite end through the stock slot and pull firmly to bring both ends on to the chest. Make sure it is nice and taut. 

Make a single right over left knot, like the first action when tying your shoelaces, pulling it close into your neck. Leave one end of the stock lying over your right shoulder and the other end folded upwards and over lying on the left shoulder.

Leaving one end of the stock on your left shoulder, bring the other end over the top and in front of it, then bring it back on itself underneath that fold resting on your shoulder. Give it a pull. 

Pull both ends of the stock upwards into a knot at the neck. The knot should be firm, but not too tight as it may become uncomfortable and restrict your breathing. Flatten the knot and make it as neat and straightened out as possible.

Fold the ends of your stock forward and cross one side over the other. Arrange it in such a way that the cross is just showing the knot at the top in the middle, and the whole thing is making a neat X shape.

Secure with a Stock Pin an inch below the knot. I place my stock pin horizontally, but people do have varying opinions on how the pin should sit.

This particular way of tying your stock is perfectly fine for hunting, cross country, eventing and dressage.

If you are competing side-saddle, there is a slight variation which I shall outline below.

Get to the same point as the ‘shoelace' knot above, and then repeat that same knot one more time.

Pull the end that is closest to the top right up to your chin.

Give it a wiggle to get as much volume into the top section as possible, making it nice and wide right from the top.

Thread your stock pin through to secure an inch below the knot - ensuring that you also secure the underlying part of the tie at the same time.

Keep some safety pins handy to attach the lengths down onto your shirt so you don’t have any loose ends flapping!

Something to remember! You should only wear a white stock at/after the opening meet if you’re hunting, and for dressage - and a check or coloured stock for cubbing.

Love,