Saddlery

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsædləɹi/

Definitions

1. The craft or business of making, repairing, and selling equipment and accessories for horses, including saddles and harnesses
2. A specialized trade focused on the creation and restoration of horse gear, such as saddles and bridles
3. The art and industry related to producing and maintaining leather goods specifically designed for horses, like saddles and other riding gear

Etymology: Saddlery is about as plain as English compounds get: the noun "saddle" with the suffix "-ery" added to it. The suffix is the interesting part. "-ery" came into English from Old French "-erie", which itself grew out of Latin "-aria" and related forms, and its job was to name a place, a trade, a collection, or a state of affairs. So "bakery" is where bread is baked, "bravery" is the quality of being brave, and "saddlery" is the trade, or the workshop, of the saddler. The word "saddle" has a longer pedigree. It descends from Old English "sadol," a native Germanic word for the seat placed on a horse's back, which means the root is older than any Latin or French influence on the language. Saddlery, by contrast, was built inside English from that native stem, using a borrowed suffix.

Synonyms: tack, harness, equipment