The spelling of the phrase "were the saddle" is straightforward, with each word following common English phonetic rules. "Were" is pronounced /wɜː(r)/ with a silent "e" at the end and a long "u" sound, while "the" sounds like /ðə/ in the standard American accent. Lastly, "saddle" is pronounced /ˈsæd(ə)l/ with a short "a" sound and a silent "e" at the end. Overall, this phrase presents no major spelling challenges for English learners.