subs. (venery).—1. The female pudendum: see MONOSYLLABLE: cf. RIDE. Hence, IN THE SADDLE = mounted.
1611. CHAPMAN, May-Day, iii. 2. Mine uncle Lorenzo’s maid, Rose … he will needs persuade me her old master keeps her for his own SADDLE.
1621. BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III. III. i. 2. The adulterer sleeping now was riding on his master’s SADDLE.
d. 1704. T. BROWN, Works, ii. 312. Damme, if I car’d a rush who rode in my SADDLE.
2. theatrical).—See quot.
1781. G. PARKER, A View of Society, I. 54. His conscience carried him to extort two guineas on each person’s benefit by way of SADDLE (which among theatrical people is an additional charge upon the benefits).
PHRASES.—TO PUT THE SADDLE ON THE RIGHT HORSE = (1) to blame (or praise) where justly due, and (2) to cast a burden where best borne; TO SUIT ONE AS A SADDLE SUITS A SOW = to become ill; to be incongruous: TO SADDLE A MARKET (American Stock Exchange) = to foist a stock on the market; TO SADDLE ONE WITH A THING = to impose a thing on, to constrain to accept an unwelcome gift; ‘He has a SADDLE to fit every horse’ = ‘He has a salve (or remedy) for every sore (or mishap)’; TO SADDLE THE SPIT = to give a dinner or supper (GROSE); TO SADDLE ONE’S NOSE = to wear spectacles (GROSE); TO SADDLE A PLACE (or PENSION) = ‘to oblige the owner to pay a certain portion of his income to someone nominated by the donor’ (GROSE); SADDLE-LEATHER = the skin of the posteriors; SADDLE-SICK = galled by riding (GROSE).
1607. DEKKER and WEBSTER, Westward Ho! v. 1. How say you, wenches? Have I SET THE SADDLE ON THE RIGHT HORSE?
c. 1616. The Court and Times of James the First [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 70. We see SET THE SADDLE ON THE RIGHT HORSE …].
1678. DRYDEN, All for Love, Preface. A wiser part to SET THE SADDLE ON THE RIGHT HORSE.
1708–10. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, ii. Ld. Smart. Why, he us’d to go very fine, when he was here in Town. Sir John. Ay; and IT BECAME HIM, AS A SADDLE BECOMES A SOW.
1744. R. NORTH, The Life of Lord Guildford, I. 314. His … lordship had done well to have shown … what was so added, and then THE SADDLE WOULD HAVE FALLEN ON THE RIGHT HORSE.
1837. CARLYLE, The Diamond Necklace, i. Roland … was SADDLE-SICK, calumniated, constipated.
