'Twas that 'ol Night before Christmas and all the ponies had been fed,
I was tryin' to choke down some beans before headin' off to bed
But my belly was a' churnin' bad , it just wouldn't sit still
It was goin' to be a long night, I could sure 'nuff tell.

'Cause in my string of horses, there was one called 'Ol Saint Nick
And thinking' about riding' him, was makin' me quite sick.
'Ol Flipper had come in with a front leg a ' draggin', last Fall during shippin' season, when we was out there on the wagon.


'Ol Saint Nick was an extra in the outfit's remuda, an' every time you got gettin' on him he'd be sure to give a gift to 'ya.That gift was a danged 'ol bronc ride, an I don't mean no 'hoppin'. You see, he's pure sin covered lightnin', that'll get your ears to poppin'.

But the boss cut him to me that's just kinda part of the deal, Flipper got turned out for the whole winter just to heal. I thought it kinda funny that it's Nick's turn to go with me out checkin' heifers, the next day in the snow.

So I lay there in my bedroll, with the fireplace a 'crackin, had terrible nightmares 'bout my poor neck a' snappin'. So I woke up at midnight, and again at two-thirty, I decided to saddle up 'Nick this time a little early. I thought I'll set him to soak with the cinches pulled up tight, come daybreak that'll help to take out some of that dad gummed fight.

Finally got 'im saddled, out there in the dark, it really was like hand feeding breadcrumbs to a shark. Finally went inside to wash the blood offa my head and got to see how much the blood had turned my white shirt red.

I'd just laid down to rest and closed my eyes when I awoke to such a racket, I stumbled up quickly and pulled on my denim jacket. As I walked out to the horse pens, the moon lit up the stage, those icicles shone so bright, on that high-desert sage.

Out in the big pen, on a fresh carpet of white, my eyes took in the most amazing thing, the most unbelievable sight. Saint Nick was making' a wild, crooked leap. with a pot bellied feller sittin' up there in the seat. He'd throwed up his head with one hand up in the air, Saint Nick touched the ground and growled just like a bear!

He'd just jump sideways as he chewed up on a foot, the red fuzzy coat popped out some chimney soot! He'd showed me his belly and stood him on his head, I noticed the fat fellers cheeks a 'turnin' a little red.

Saint Nick finally winded and throwed his head up, started licking' his lips all over, like an old an' gentle pup. The rider stepped down and handed me the reins I noticed in his mouth a broken candy cane. That's when it finally hit me , as my mind started to click. I've just seen 'Ol Saint Nick Himself ride 'ol hoss Saint Nick!

Then I noticed his team and a little red sleigh, you see, his reindeer were hobbled and eatin' on some hay.

He said "Merry Christmas,
Hope that present will do,
I knocked some of the rough off
That 'ol pony just for you".

Then he buttoned his coat and walked away
Unhobbled the reindeer
And climbed up into his sleigh
I heard him exclaim as he headed back North
"I ain't never seen nothin' buck like that 'ol horse!"