saddling

plural saddlings

1. countableuncountableThe act of placing a saddle on an animal.

   An unusually large group was watching when Syriac was led to the paddock for saddling.

   1975 September 5, Red Smith, quoting Phil Bieber, “Lyin’ Fitz, the Beautiful Dreamer”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2026, page 21, columns 2–3

   4 more examples

   And so through all the racket and noise of two or three saddlings and unsaddlings, he remained quite undisturbed, and came out of it much the best.

   1901, Sidney Peel, “Up to the Transvaal”, in Trooper 8008 I Y, London: Edward Arnold […], →OCLC, page 134

   He let Sandy stand for a minute and then took the saddle off. Several more of these saddlings and unsaddlings followed. Then finally the saddle was cinched. Again Sandy repeated his pattern of calming down after the first unfamiliarity of a new experience had worn off. […] Before long Sandy accepted the saddle as if he’d been born with one on his back.

   1954, Troy Nesbit [pseudonym; Franklin Folsom], “Sacking Out”, in Sand Dune Pony (Wilderness Mysteries; 1), Racine, Wis.: Whitman Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 145

   The two Indians were finished with their own saddling, the camp gear was packed, and already the extra saddle horses and their one packhorse were haltered so they could be led back to the ranch.

   1981, James Powell, chapter 8, in The Malpais Rider (A Double D Western), Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, →ISBN, page 62

   During the first few saddlings, do not use a saddle pad; it is unnecessary at this point and may fall and scare the horse.

   2001, Burt Phillips, The Ideal Horse: How to Train Him and Yourself, page 64

   Antonyms: unsaddling

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of saddle