saddle sore
noun
an irritation or sore on a horse caused by the rubbing of a poorly adjusted saddle.
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saddle sore
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saddle-sore
saddle-soreadjectivesore after riding a horse
saddle sore
Americannoun
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an irritation or sore on a horse caused by the rubbing of a poorly adjusted saddle.
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an irritation or sore on a rider caused by a saddle.
saddle-sore
British
adjective
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sore after riding a horse
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(of a horse or rider) having sores caused by the chafing of the saddle
noun
Etymology
Origin of saddle sore
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Then he struggled last year with injury and sickness and withdrew midway through the 2021 Giro due to a saddle sore.
From Seattle Times ● May 29, 2022
Burt says the medal-winners haven't had a saddle sore between them for six months.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2016
Also appealing to ranchers: the prospect of becoming a little less saddle sore.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2016
It might have been from riding the bike-like a saddle sore.
From Time Magazine Archive
Now, she hated everything about it, except the unicorn; and, saddle sore and uncomfortable, she would have even happily spent time away from the unicorn.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
A spinoff-sequel to Taylor Sheridan’s saddle-sore soap opera “Yellowstone,” the series has had plenty of advance word, of the no-publicity-is-bad-publicity variety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
“This Paramount color release is worth seeing,” Thompson added, “if only for the casual, saddle-sore expertise and ribaldry” of Wayne and Mitchum, whom he referred to as “these two leathery dudes.”
From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2022
From punctured tyres to saddle-sore cyclists, Dixon says there can be challenges to keeping such an eco-friendly show on the road.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2021
Midweek, saddle-sore, we decided to take a break from ranch life and make our way into Jackson for a day.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 22, 2015
Walter declared he was "saddle-sore" from sitting so much.
From Nan Sherwood at Rose Ranch by Annie Roe Carr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
