Why is carrying someone on your back called a "piggy-back ride"?
by 
Daydreamer
ANSWERS: 5
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It's a collaquial alteration of "pickaback" ride, with pick meaning "to throw" (as in pitch). So a pick-a-back ride meant to throw something on your back, and thus the origin of piggy-back.
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In some places they call it a coley back or a cuddy back .. a cuddy is a horse in scotland but I dont know what a coley is ...
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Have you never rode a pig? Mr Bill
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http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/24122
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Before it was "piggyback" or "pigaback," around 1555-1565 the term was "pickaback." That came from the term "pickback" (or "pickapack" or "pickpack"), which means "on the back. That's as much info as I could find. You COULD stretch things a bit and say "pick" means "choose", so "pickback" means "choose the back" (e.g., as a place to carry something or someone), but I don't know if that's a legitimate statement.
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