HOBBY-HORSES are only attributed to the male characters of the book. From the reading, one comes to understand that often times the word refers to the male sex organ. Other times it refers to sexual activity. Sexual activity is described as a journey and the object on which one rides during the journey is the HOBBY-HORSE. The author's usage of adjectives such as "hot" and "electric" to describe the journey suits the interpretation of the journey as sexual intercourse or activities.
HOBBY-HORSE, aside from being used to refer to the male sex organ and sexual intercourse, is also used as a metaphor for prostitutes. In one of the volumes, the author describes in detail about the man "riding" a HOBBY-HORSE.
HOBBY-HORSE is one of many words with double meanings
throughout the book. Tristram clearly feigns innocence about the
secondary meanings of the word, however, his explicit descriptions
provide
the reader with a different interpretation and also reflects Sterne's
critique on society's treatment of such issues.