HORSE RIDING
ADJECTIVES
► DUMPED thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► DUSTED thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► LANDED thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► LANDED FORK END UP thrown from a horse head first → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► LANDED ON HIS SOMBRERO thrown from a horse head first → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► LEER having no burden or load; also, of a horse: without a rider → 1387 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► SADDLE-SICK indisposed through riding; bruised and sore from long riding → 1823 Sc.
► SPILLED thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► TURNED OFF thrown from a horse → 1960 Amer. dial.
► UNCOLTED deprived of a horse → 1596
ADVERBS
► AHORSE on horseback → 1860
► BAREBONES bareback, without a saddle → 1940 Amer. dial.
► BEAST-BACK on horseback → 1890 Amer. dial.
► CRITTER-BACK on horseback → 1890 Amer. dial.
NOUNS
► ABANDONED HABITS the riding dress of the up-market courtesans who frequented Rotten Row in London’s Hyde Park → c1870 sl.
► ADEQUITATION a riding towards → 1676 obs.
► FARTKNOCKER a hard fall; esp. when thrown from a horse → 1968 Amer. cowboys’ usage
► FIDGE-FADGE a slow, easy pace in walking or riding → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► GUT-HOOKS riding spurs → 1930s Amer. sl.
► JIGGLE a slow, steady trot → 1934 Amer. dial.
► JODS jodhpurs → M20 colloq.
► LEAPING-BLOCK a stone set up to assist riders to mount their horses → 1851 Eng. dial.
► LEAPING-ON-STONE a stone set up to assist riders to mount their horses → 1721 Sc.
► MANAGE an enclosed place for the training of saddle-horses and for the practice of horsemanship; a riding-school → 1655
► MANAGERY horsemanship; a place of exercise for horses → 1685 obs.
► NETHER-SIDE the side at which a horse is mounted → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► OBEQUITATION a riding about → 1658 obs.
► ON-LOUPING the act of mounting a horse → 1792 Sc.
► PRADBACK horseback → 18C sl.
► SAIL a ride in a cart or other vehicle, or on horseback → 1830 Sc.
► SKYBUGGING scanning the sky aimlessly while riding a horse; also, not paying attention → 1982 Amer. dial.
► SUICIDE four horses driven in a line → 1904 sl. (Bk.)
► TANTIVY a rapid gallop; a ride at this pace → a1658
► TORMENTORS riding-spurs → 1875 sl.
► WALLOP a horse ride at a gallop → 1896
► WAND a stick or switch for urging on a horse → c1400 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
NOUNS – PERSON
► CABALLERO a horseman; a gentleman → 1837
► GALLOPER one who gallops on horseback, esp. of hunters → 1575
► GLORY RIDER one who rides an outlaw horse for the satisfaction of trying to conquer the beast → 1945 US Western sl. (Bk.)
► HARD GOER a horse rider who possesses considerable stamina → 1778
► HORSEBACKER one riding on horseback → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► PISTOL a young rider, an inexperienced hand → 1944 Amer. West usage
► PRICASOUR a rider, a mounted huntsman → c1387-95 obs.
► PRICKER a person who spurs or rides a horse; a rider, a horseman; a mounted warrior or soldier, esp. a light horseman employed as a skirmisher or scout → a1350
► PRIGGER a rider; specifically, a mounted highwayman → a1640 obs.
► QUICK-SPUR one who rides quickly → 1600 obs.
► RACKABACK a man on horseback with a woman behind him riding side-saddle → c1786 sl.
► RANK-RIDER a rapid, headlong, or reckless rider; a moss-trooper, a highwayman → 1590 obs.
► ROADSTER a person who prefers the road to cross country riding → 1885 hunting jargon
► SADDLE TRAMP a person who rides horseback through the countryside → 1942 US sl.
► SALTY RIDER one with guts → 1945 US Western sl. (Bk.)
► SITTER one who sits on a horse or other animal; a rider → a1340 obs.
PHRASES
► DIRTIED HIS SHIRT said of a rider thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► GRASS HUNTIN’ being thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► HE COULDN’T RIDE NOTHIN’ WILDER THAN A WHEELCHAIR applied to a man with no riding ability → 20C US cowboy’s usage
► MET HIS SHADOW ON THE GROUND said of a person thrown from a bucking horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► PICKING DAISIES said of a thrown rider → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► SQUEEZIN’ LIZZIE holding the saddle horn → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► TASTING GRAVEL being thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
VERBS
► ABEQUITATE to ride away → 1627 obs.
► ADEQUITATE to ride by → 1626 obs.
► BACK 1. to mount a horse; to ride on a horse → 1821 Eng. & Amer. dial.
2. to give a horse its first lesson in carrying a rider → 1932 Sc.
► BAKE to ride in such a way as to overheat a horse → 1944 Amer. dial. West
► BEEFSTEAK to saddle or ride a horse so poorly that his back becomes raw, as a beefsteak → 1975 US cowboys’ sl. (Bk.)
► BERIDE 1. to ride around; to beset with horsemen → a1000 obs.
2. to ride by the side of → 1690 obs.
► BESTRIDE to ride, to mount a horse, etc. → c1000
► BUGGY ALONG to go on horseback or in a buggy → 1954 Amer. dial.
► BURN THE BREEZE to ride at full speed → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► BUY A PIECE OF THE GROUND to be bucked off a horse → 1968 Amer. dial.
► CHASE A CLOUD to be thrown high from a horse → 1944 Amer. dial.
► COOL ONE’S SADDLE to dismount and rest from riding → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► CURRY to ride or run with haste or rapidity; to scurry → 1608 obs.
► DIRTY ONE’S SHIRT to be thrown from a horse → 1961 Amer. dial.
► DUST IT to ride or go quickly; to hasten, to hurry, to make off → 1650 colloq.
► EAT DIRT to be thrown to the ground by a horse or steer → 1936 Amer. dial.
► EAT GRASS to be thrown to the ground by a horse or steer → 1977 Amer. dial.
► EAT GRAVEL to be thrown from a horse → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► FAG ALONG to ride fast → 1960 Amer. cowboy usage
► FALL of a horse: to unseat a rider → 1835 Amer. dial.
► FAN to strike a horse so as to urge it on, esp. by use of one’s hat → 1915 Amer. dial.
► FLUTTER THE RIBBINS to drive (ribbins = reins) → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► FORK to mount a horse → L19 US sl.
► FORK LEATHER to ride a horse → 1931 US West. sl.
► GIVE ONE THE WIND OF THE MARE’S TAIL to ride off from one at once → 1883 Eng. dial.
► GO TO LEATHER to hold on to the saddle while riding a horse → 1922 Amer. dial.
► GRAB THE APPLE to hang on to the horn of a saddle while riding → 1941 Amer. dial.
► GRAB THE NUBBIN to hang on to the horn of a saddle while riding → 1937 Amer. dial.
► GRAB THE POST to hang on to the horn of a saddle while riding → 1944 Amer. dial.
► HAIRPIN to mount a horse → 1927 Amer. dial.
► HANDLE THE RIBBINS to drive (ribbins = reins) → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► HELL to gallop or go noisily → a1951 Amer. West. usage
► HIT LEATHER to ride away → 1947 US West. sl.
► HUNT LEATHER to reach for a hand-hold on the saddle horn while riding a bucking horse → 1893 US West. sl.
► IRON OUT to ride a restive horse until it is calm enough to work → 1936 Amer. dial.
► IRON OUT THE HUMPS to ride a restive horse until it is calm enough to work → 1944 Amer. dial.
► JAUNCE to cause a horse to prance, to caper → 1593 obs.
► JAUNSEL to ride a horse with an easy pace, to trot or jaunt about → 1590 obs.
► JAUNT to make a horse prance up and down; to exercise or tire a horse by riding him up and down → 1570 obs.
► JICKER to ride or run smartly, to trot → 1897 Sc.
► JIGGLE to ride at a slow, steady trot → 1934 Amer. dial.
► LARK 1. to ride in a frolicsome manner; to ride across country → 1813 sporting colloq.
2. in riding: to clear a fence with a flying leap → 1834
► LAY WHIP to ride or drive fast → 1936 Amer. dial.
► LEAP AFOOT to spring to the ground from horseback; to dismount → 1481 obs.
► LIGHT to get down off a horse; to dismount → 1899 Amer. dial.
► LINK DOWN to get down from a horse → 1935 Amer. dial.
► OBEQUITATE to ride about → 1623 obs.
► ONLIGHT to alight; to dismount from a horse or carriage → 1825 Eng. dial.
► PACK THE MAIL to ride or move quickly; to go fast, to run → 1942 Amer. dial.
► PEREQUITATE. to ride through or along on horseback → 1780 obs.
► POUND LEATHER to ride a horse fast → 1907 Amer. dial.
► PRICK AND PRANCE to ride proudly and ostentatiously; to caper → a1393 obs.
► PRIG to ride → 1567 sl.
► PULL LEATHER to reach for a hand-hold on the saddle horn while riding a bucking horse → 1915 US West. sl.
► REEF to slide the legs back and forth along the horse’s sides as one spurs → 1968 Amer. dial.
► REST ONE’S SADDLE to dismount → 1966 Amer. dial.
► RIDE LIKE A DEPUTY SHERIFF to ride recklessly, to ride in a hurry → 1945
► SCOUSE to cause to gallop, to ride hard → 1883 Eng. dial.
► SET CLOSE TO THE PLASTER to keep a close and firm seat in the saddle → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► SET THE HAIR to ride a horse long enough to take the meanness out of him → 1936 Amer. dial.
► SHIG-SHOG to trot or amble in riding → 1897 Eng. dial.
► SHOW DAYLIGHT of a rider: to allow one’s seat to leave the saddle → 1929 Amer. dial.
► SIT LIKE A MONKEY ON A GRIDIRON to be a bad, or very ungraceful, horseman → 1923 colloq.
► SKIRR to ride rapidly through → 1605 obs.
► SPIN to move rapidly; to run quickly; to ride or drive at a rapid and even rate → a1400
► SUN ONE’S MOCCASINS to be thrown from a horse → M20 US colloq.
► TAKE LEATHER to hold on to the saddle while riding a horse → 1922 Amer. dial.
► TANTIVY to ride full tilt; to hurry away → 1681 obs.
► TIVY to ride rapidly → 1842
► TOP OFF among cowboys: to ride a difficult or unbroken horse until it becomes manageable → 1906 Amer. dial.
► TOTE THE MAIL to ride or move quickly; to go fast, → 1908 Amer. sl.
► TOUCH LEATHER to hold on to the saddle while riding a horse → 1922 Amer. dial.
► UNCLOSE to unharness a horse → 1615 obs.
► UNLIGHT to alight, to dismount → 1901 Eng. dial.
► WALK to take air and exercise on horseback → 1541 obs.
Lexicophilia 