Author Stephen Bly with horse Sundance
Ketch My Saddle, Boys
No one likes to get bucked off a horse, old cowboys especially. But if his broomtail decided to ‘hop for mama,’ ‘take ya to church,’ ‘chin the moon,’ or ‘wrinkle his spine,’ he plowed the ground with his face. Then he must catch the rude horse and holler, “Ketch my saddle!”
A Western Slang Slogan
Two good reasons evolved for the phrase, “Ketch my saddle.”
In the Old West cowboys rode $10 horses and sat $40 saddles. Which do you think was more valuable?
And on many ranches the horse belonged to the brand, while the saddle remained the property of the cowboy. You may never have been bucked off a horse, but you’ve probably gotten mashed before.
Battered and Bruised
We feel battered and bruised when we get crunched socially, emotionally, or spiritually.
Paul told Timothy, “Some have even rejected sound teaching and shipwrecked their faith” (1 Timothy 1:19).
Maybe failure embarrassed you or you should have known better. You weren’t able to hang on. A trial threw you. In those times, you need to holler out, “Ketch my saddle!” That is, “Give me a hand and don’t let me lose my valuables.”
Sometimes we cry out to God, “Catch my marriage.” “Catch my child.” “Catch my faith.” Don’t be too proud to call on others to help you save something priceless, before it’s gone.
A very valuable saddle with chrome.
Stephen Bly
Copyright©1994
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More info on western slang like “Ketch my saddle”:
Cowboy Western Slang by Elizabeth Lane at Petticoats & Pistols blog. Her list is adapted from The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800s by Marc McCutcheon: http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2007/10/25/western-slang/
Western Words and Phrases That Might Have Fooled You by Charlotte Sands at Petticoats & Pistols blog: http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2008/11/14/western-words-and-phrases-that-might-have-fooled-you/
Western slang, lingo, and phrases … A Writer’s Guide to the Old West: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-slang.html
Funny Cowboy Sayings … Cowboy Wisdom and Humor: http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/slang/funny-cowboy-sayings.html
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What’s your favorite cowboy saying or western slang?
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