Bein' well into the second half
of this life's natural course,
I've developed a preference
for ridin' a smooth mouthed horse.
Back in my younger days,
I liked to work with colts.
But, since the surgeon worked on my back,
I sure don't need the jolts.
The energy of a young horse
can really be somethin' great,
but to me, thae best years for a workin' horse
start after the age of eight.
I've always thought that common sense
and IQ both went up
about the time a horse is losin'
his corner pair of cups.
And on a blustery, windy mornin',
when you're wishin' you were still in the sack,
it's nice to step up on a gentle horse
that you know don't have a cold back.
With your seasoned partner,
you don't want to spur and jerk.
He just takes off in his mater-of-fact way,
and he's ready to go to work.
And if the years have taken
just a bit of his agility,
it's a pretty good trade-off
for his proven dependability.
The younger horse may just be
a little bit physically fitter,
but he don't compare with the smooth mouthed horse
in outsmartin' a wily cow critter.
A snakey old cow can take out a colt
and cause him to make a false start,
but your veteran partner won't take her bait,
because he's just too dang smart.
If you go to any ropin' match,
where they're competin' for big money,
you'll see several horses
that are several years past twenty.
The ropers know, when the stakes are high,
whether you win or lose,
depends a lot on the experience
of the horse you're goin' to use
It's the same way in the pasture.
We like a young horse's speed and action,
but sometimes you just can't depend
on his tendency to distraction.
Yeah, I know both men and horses
all have to start out young,
but I'll leave young horses to young men,
'cause my spring has already sprung.
But, finally when Old Father Time
has piled on too many points,
your partner will get past workin' cows,
'cause he'll stiffen in his joints.
Even then, it's still not time
to nail down his coffin lid,
for he's still got a few years left
to train some little cowboy kid.
But as time progresses, the time will come
when his old body's no longer able,
and you'll choose between total retirement
or a Frenchman's dinner table.
Either way can probably be
a truly humane act.
Life is life, and death is death,
and agin' is a natural fact.
And I know I'm not near ready
to be laid up on the shelf,
but I think I might be gettin'
a bit smooth mouthed myself.
