saddle-cloth
Forms: see saddle and cloth; also 5 sadylclow.
A cloth placed on a horse's back beneath the saddle; † in early use = foot-cloth, housing-cloth.
| 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 222 Item,..paied..for ij. yerdes and di. and. di. qrter of blak cloth, for a sadylclow for my Lord. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §142 Spere, male, hode, halter, sadelclothe, spores. 1683 Lond. Gaz. No. 1786/4 A bay Mare, with..a black Saddle, and a green Saddle-Cloth. 1776 Boswell Johnson II. 349, I observed them [at Lichfield] making some saddle-cloths. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. v, The Laird..has had his running foot⁓man here..to see when the broidered saddle-cloth for his sorrel horse will be ready. 1845 Ford Handbk. Spain i. 31 There is no bed like the saddle-cloth. 1867 S. W. Baker Nile Trib. Abyssinia v. 111 We were requested to mount two superb white hygeens, with saddle-cloths of blue Persian sheep-skins. |