an irritation or sore on a horse caused by the rubbing of a poorly adjusted saddle.
an irritation or sore on a rider caused by a saddle.
sore after riding a horse
(of a horse or rider) having sores caused by the chafing of the saddle
First recorded in 1945–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
The Rude boys walked as if they were permanently saddle sore.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
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
He was saddle-sore and weary, but his purpose knew no weakening.
From The Twins of Suffering Creek by Cullum, Ridgwell
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.
