"Ridling" refers to a young male horse that has not yet been castrated. The spelling of the word may appear confusing due to the silent "g" at the end. Phonetically, it is pronounced as /ˈrɪd.lɪŋ/, with the accent on the first syllable. The "-ling" portion comes from the Old English suffix "-ling," meaning "child" or "descendant." Overall, the spelling of "ridling" is a result of historical linguistic changes over time.