What does crupper mean?
A crupper is a piece of equestrian tack: a padded leather loop or strap fitted beneath a horse's tail and secured to the rear of the saddle. Its purpose is practical and specific — it stops the saddle from sliding forward, which matters most when riding downhill, over rough terrain, or with animals whose conformation makes a saddle prone to shifting. Cruppers are especially common in military riding, pack saddles for mules, and heavy working-horse harnesses, where loads are uneven and slopes are steep. The word entered English in the late Middle Ages from Anglo-Norman and Old French, deriving ultimately from 'croupe', meaning the rump of a horse. In older English, 'crupper' could also refer to the horse's hindquarters themselves, though this sense has largely fallen away. Today the word survives mainly among riders, saddlers, and historians of horsemanship, giving it a somewhat specialised, old-fashioned flavour outside those circles.
A strap attached to the back of a saddle and passed under a horse's tail to prevent the saddle from slipping forward.
"She adjusted the crupper so it sat comfortably beneath the pony's tail."
Used almost exclusively in equestrian and harness-making contexts.
(Archaic) The rump or hindquarters of a horse.
"He gave his mount a slap on the crupper and set off at a trot."
Standard plural; typically refers to multiple straps or pieces of tack rather than multiple animals.
"The tack room held several spare cruppers in various sizes."
The word for the strap holding a saddle in place comes straight from the French word for a horse's rump — literally 'the behind' of the beast.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crupper
Crupper came into English in the late Middle Ages via Anglo-Norman and Old French 'croupiere', meaning a strap for the horse's rump, formed from 'croupe', the rump or croup of a horse. The underlying Germanic root also gave rise to related words such as 'croup'. An earlier, now largely obsolete English sense referred to the horse's rump itself rather than the strap.
How crupper is actually used
Primarily used in equestrian contexts by riders, harness-makers, and those working with horses. The sense meaning the animal's rump is now largely archaic.
Easily confused with crupper
A culvert is a structure that channels water under a road, whereas a crupper is a strap on a horse's harness.