How to Tie a Stock Tie

[Robby_Johnson]

OK, I got a stock tie yesterday and the instructions that came with it are bloody sad. It is a Nunn Finer from www.bitofbritain.com and I am not kidding, it looks like a curious George illustration.

I think I remember several years ago an article in PH with a guy - Todd Fletterich maybe - who gave step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

Does anyone remember the issue, or does anyone have a tip? I really appreciate it!

Robby

I’m drinking a soy latte
I get a double shote’
It goes right through my body
And you know I’m satisfied

[Robby_Johnson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dezi:
Bring your tie an we can work on it this weekend. I tie a fair to good stock tie, but tend to not be very “froofy”. What happened to your Hermes neck tie BTW??? Much easier in MHO (or are you planning on wearing your tails in you next HT??)

Sue<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ROFL. The white neck tie wasn’t Hermes (it was Neiman Marcus label) and, despite frequent cleanings, it’s gotten a bit dingy/yellow. Still, it’s an option. I wanted a stock tie so that I could get one of those white riding shirts from BoB and thusly be cooler in the summer. I might still do Neiman’s tie, too, but now I have options! But no tails, ever! Even if I get to a 1*, I am sure that I’d feel funny (unworthy) wearing that apparel. I think those should be saved for people who know what they’re doing!

Robby

I’m drinking a soy latte
I get a double shote’
It goes right through my body
And you know I’m satisfied

[rubytoo]

the things I learn on the chronicle forums

[drifting_cloud]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Why is the hand in the foxhunting link flipping us off in the second to last slide?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>LOL! I hadn’t noticed that before!

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>But no tails, ever! Even if I get to a 1*, I am sure that I’d feel funny (unworthy) wearing that apparel. I think those should be saved for people who know what they’re doing!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I remember reading an article written by a DQ (can’t remember who), and she made a comment that if you are going to wear a top hat (or maybe it was a derby hat), you better make sure you know what you’re doing because people will be watching you. Just because of the hat you are wearing!

“The power of acute observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.” - George Bernard Shaw

[monstrpony]

J,fp–that absolutely says it!

Besides, I’ve seen soooo many variations on the theme, I don’t think it matters WHAT you actually do with the thing.

Kind of like the aids for a leg yield: we all know that, classically, there is absolutely only ONE way to do it–and then everyone you ask describes something different.

---

He’s not really a pony, and I’m really not “pony aged” either.

[Hilary]

A couple more stock tie tips from someone who had to learn ages ago from a Pony Club grande dame…

I’m a lefty as well, so if you need to, ignore the left/right thing. The key to the good knot is to do the 2 half-knots in opposite directions, otherwise you get a tiny little granny-knot. If, when you do the 2nd half, you do not see a square that you could poof over the knot, just untie, and re do the half-knot in the opposite over/under thing (see, nevermind left/right). It should work.

The other key is to have a STIFF tie. This means laundry starch. Much easier to get the knot to poof, the tails to bend just so, and not sag later.

And don’t forget to pin through both tails (after you’ve folded them across the square front of the knot) and through the square into the knot. This is hard, on your pin, and therefore your fingers. Get a good friend to help if you can’t get it to stay straight.

[rileyt]

The Todd Fletrich article was “how to tie a froofy dressage knot”. He did it differently than the “standard” event style.

Robby, seriously, listen to me… forget pictures… forget instructions. Put your stock tie over your head and around your neck, and do this:

(Big caveat - if you follow this rhyme, the “left” and “right” is determined by which end is THEN on the left or right,… not which end was originally on the left of right"

Try this:

Right over left, and (new) left goes under (tie like the first part of tying your shoes)

Left over right, and right goes under (and ties)

Now you have your square knot. then fold the left diagonally across your right chest, and the right diagonally across your left chest.

Pull the knot out a bit and straighten… and pin.

Half of Riding is 30% mental … no wonder there are so many bad riders

[Bensmom]

Robby,

Don’t believe them! There is a Secret Mystical Society of People That Know How to Correctly Tie a Stock Tie. I have waited and waited for my invitation, so that I could survive the no-doubt grueling initiation rites and be finally given the super secret tips that make this so easy for some people, but alas, I have not yet been tapped.

I just tried a simple square knot floofed up the last time I had to show and the Society member that I know wasn’t around to tie my tie for me. She looked sadly at me as I got ready to enter the ring, shook her head, and said “let’s practice that at home before you go out in public looking like that next time, ok?”

I do have a pretty good set of directions on my desk at home (which is a laughable description of the poor piece of furniture that is totally covered with mounds of paper! ) that HelenD faxed me some time ago – if I can find it at lunchtime, I can send it on to you. The directions made good sense, so a normal person, perhaps that may someday be tapped for the secret society, could probably follow them. I, however, may be forever hopeless.

I’ll let you know if I find it, or my heirs can notify you if I get crushed by all the papers and magazines stacked in the area

Libby

Proud member of the Hoof Fetish Clique

[Robby_Johnson]

drifting cloud =

Thank you so much! Those are the directions included with the tie, but sans written instructions. While I’m normally a visual learner, I’m also left-handed and these are clearly intended for a right-handed individual. It helps, in this instance, to read “put right over left, whatever.”

I actually did it once, last night, but couldn’t repeat it again.

Libby, your desk sounds like my desk. I always intend to file and clean it up but then I go, “you know, my life hasn’t stopped because my filing is out of order.” So I don’t file. Filing is my Achilles Heel.

Robby

I’m drinking a soy latte
I get a double shote’
It goes right through my body
And you know I’m satisfied

[triggerfoot]

i too am the proud owner of a new nunn finer stock tie.

i found the instructions totally wonderful and illuminating and i didn’t even practice before going to a show. i wish i had pictures… thank god it was a schooling show.

after coming home, i found this:instructions

horsie art

[Dezi]

Bring your tie an we can work on it this weekend. I tie a fair to good stock tie, but tend to not be very “froofy”. What happened to your Hermes neck tie BTW??? Much easier in MHO (or are you planning on wearing your tails in you next HT??)

Sue

[cinnabar]

Hi Robby,

Way back in the day, I used the instructions in Wadsworth’s Riding to Hounds in America. If you have a local Pony Club around, you could get a copy from them, or you can order one from the Chronicle. http://www.chronofhorse.com/bookshelf/bookstore.html

I tie a great stock tie (IMVHO), and I learned it from Wadsworth. Plus being anal helps too! When I get home from work, I’ll dig out my copy and see if I can add any tips.

Oh, and a really key item…get a steel shank stock pin. You’ll be pinning through a lot of material, and the cheapie pins will just get all bendy.

[drifting_cloud]

See if this link is any help:

http://www.horse-rider-etc.com/foxhunt/tiestocktie.html

I still use ratcatchers because every time I have tried to tie my stock tie, it looks like I’m wearing a neck brace!

“The power of acute observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.” - George Bernard Shaw

[Impromptu]

Don’t forget two small safety pins. One on each end pinned to your shirt stops them flying up in your face.

some more links…

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You can hitch a hackney to the Budweiser cart, but it wont make him a clydesdale

http://community.webshots.com/user/stainlesssteal

[Tiki]

My tip for tying a stock tie is to buy a ready tied tie!!

Tranquility Farm
We don’t have many, but the ones we have are nice

[Robby_Johnson]

OK, I got a stock tie yesterday and the instructions that came with it are bloody sad. It is a Nunn Finer from www.bitofbritain.com and I am not kidding, it looks like a curious George illustration.

I think I remember several years ago an article in PH with a guy - Todd Fletterich maybe - who gave step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

Does anyone remember the issue, or does anyone have a tip? I really appreciate it!

Robby

I’m drinking a soy latte
I get a double shote’
It goes right through my body
And you know I’m satisfied

[v22955]

We pony clubbers call those extra pins “boob pins.” They sure save you from a flapping stock in dressage!

[Peggy]

Yes, the starch reallly helps (my mom taught me to use the spray-on kind and then iron).

Sometimes it’s easier for left handed people to deal with right handed directions if you go face to face with the directions, object or person who’s trying to show you. In other words, put directions in front of you. Put tie on something or someone facing you. Proceed. Even though I’m right handed, this is the only way that I can deal with a stock tie and its instructions. Since I have the kind that velcros in back, I do this before the show and place it in a zip-lock back all tied and ready to go.

Recently I decided to cheat and got a sort-of ready-tied one. Unfortunately, it doesn’t cover as much, so no more tank tops or funny colored shirts. I have found that the $15 mock turtle from Lands Ed looks great, but might be a trifle warm for the summer months. Might have to invest in one of those DG zippy neck things.

(edited to say that’s “iron” as in the verb, not the element, in case anyone gets confused with the evil chem prof thing)

[531]

Why is the hand in the foxhunting link flipping us off in the second to last slide?
And is it me, or are the two link directions different?

[Jeannette_formerly_ponygyrl]

(Psst - it’s just a square knot, froofed up.)