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saddle horn

saddle horn

1 5.8
High rounded front part of a Western saddle that riders use to hold a rope or grip
  • noun
  • /ˈsæd.əl hɔrn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cuerno de la silla
  • As the horse kicked, I quickly grabbed the saddle horn to keep my balance.
  • grab the saddle horn
  • rope around the saddle horn
  • grip the saddle horn

Examples

  • Tim grabbed the saddle horn, hoping frantically that Dobbs would stay on his feet.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Reluctantly, Temple let go of the saddle horn.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Hold on tight to your saddle horns, son!

  • "Hang on to the saddle horn, dear!"

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Grace grabs the saddle horn.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Numair almost fell before he grabbed his saddle horn.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Using his good arm to grab the saddle horn, he climbed on his horse and rode to Charlie and Dell's place.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Tom fastens one under the halter and ties the other to the saddle horn.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • And in the middle of the jog, Tom grabs onto the saddle horn, and without breaking his stride, pulls himself back up onto his back.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Instead of asking for the old man's aid, Kurt grips the saddle horn tightly with his thumb and forefinger and manages to drag the saddle down off the horse's back without dropping it.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

horn
vssaddle horn
  • Jargon
3 7.1

A high curved knob at the front of a Western saddle for holding or tying rope

is a rounded front part used mainly to secure a rope

Surface Forms

saddle horn singular
saddle horns plural

Morphology

saddle + horn

The noun is a straightforward compositional compound: 'saddle' (a riding seat) combined with 'horn' (a projecting knob) yields the meaning of the projecting rounded part at the front of a Western saddle used for securing a rope. Although domain-specific (Western riding), the sense is literal and directly inferable from the constituents, so a B1 learner who knows both words should understand it.

Etymology

Saddle horn names the high, rounded part at the front of a Western saddle that looks like a small horn, and cowboys would wrap a lasso around it or grab it to hold on. So the name comes from that horn-like shape and its use 'to secure a rope' or 'to hold on' while riding.