English

Alternative forms

• bridle-path

Noun

bridle path ‎(plural bridle paths)

1. An established trail used by riders mounted on horses.
   • 1835, James Fenimore Cooper, The Monikins, Introduction:

     A party came round the angle of a rock, along the narrow bridle-path, in single file; two ladies on horseback, followed by as many gentlemen on foot, and preceded by the usual guide.

   • 1874, Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd, ch. 3:

     It was not a bridle-path—merely a pedestrian's track, and the boughs spread horizontally at a height not greater than seven feet above the ground, which made it impossible to ride erect beneath them.

   • 1916, Sherwood Anderson, Windy McPherson's Son, ch. 5:

     Then in the evening, he came suddenly upon Sue riding a spirited black horse in a bridle path at the upper end of the park.

   • 2008 June 2, Kareem Fahin, "For Riders and Mounts, Rough Going in Prospect Park ," New York Times (retrieved 3 Oct 2012):

     Some complaints about the Prospect Park trails seem to reflect the ever-present realities of urban horseback riding. Joggers and even bikers wander onto the bridle path.

Usage notes

• Now often used to refer to a path maintained and used for the purpose of recreational horseback riding.

Synonyms

• bridle trail

References

• bridle path at OneLook Dictionary Search