Twas the night before Christmas.

All the ponies had been fed.

I was tryin’ to choke down

A few beans before bed.

But my belly was churnin’.

It just wouldn’t sit still.

It was gonna be a long night,

I sure nuff could tell.

’Cause in my string of horses

There was one called Saint Nick.

And thinking ’bout ridin’ him

Sometimes made me sick.

Ol’ Flipper had come in

With a front leg a draggin’

Last fall during shippin’

When we was out on the wagon.

Saint Nick was an extra

In the outfit’s remuda.

And every time you got on him

He’d give a gift to ya.

That gift was a bronc ride,

And I don’t mean no hoppin’.

He was sin covered lightnin’

That would get your ears to poppin’.

Saint Nick liked to buck,

But that wasn’t all.

He’d kick ya, and bite ya

And was sure bad to paw.

But the boss cut him to me.

That’s just part of the deal.

Flipper got turned out

For the winter to heal.

I thought it kinda funny

That it was Saint Nick’s turn to go

With me checkin’ heifers

The next day in the snow.

So I lay in my bedroll

With the fireplace a crackin’.

Had terrible nightmares

’Bout my poor neck a snappin’.

I woke up at midnight,

Again at two-thirty.

I decided to saddle Saint Nick

This time a little early

I thought, I’ll set him to soak

With the cinches pulled tight.

Come daybreak, that’ll help

Take out some of the fight.

Well, I got him saddled

Out there in the dark.

It was kinda like hand-feedin’

Breadcrumbs to a shark.

I came back inside

To wash the blood off my head,

And to see how much of my

White shirt had turned red.

I lay down again.

Maybe now I could rest.

He was still gonna try me,

But maybe not with his best.

I’d just closed my eyes

When I heard such a racket.

I stumbled out of bed,

Put on my denim jacket.

As I walked to the horse pens

The moon lit the stage,

And the icicles shone bright

On the high-desert sage.

Out in the big pen

On a fresh carpet of white

My eyes took in

The most amazing, wild sight.

Saint Nick was a-makin’

A wild, crooked leap

With a potbellied feller

Sittin’ up there in the seat.

He throwed him his head

With one hand in the air.

Saint Nick touched the ground

And growled like a bear.

I’ll tell ya in my life, boys,

I’ve sure seen some rides,

But I thought that critter

Would buck out of his hide.

He’d jump sideways

While he chewed on a foot.

The red, fuzzy coat

Popped out chimney soot.

He’d show you his belly,

Then stand on his head.

I noticed the fat feller’s

Cheeks turnin’ red.

Saint Nick finally winded

And throwed his head up.

Started lickin’ his lips

Like an old, gentle pup.

The rider stepped down

To hand me the reins.

I noticed in his mouth

A broken candy cane.

That’s when it hit me.

My mind started to click.

I’d just watched Saint Nick

Ride ol’ Saint Nick.

Then I noticed his team,

And his little red sleigh.

His reindeer were hobbled,

Eatin’ some of my hay.

He said, “Merry Christmas.

Hope that present will do.

I knocked some of the rough off

That ol’ pony for you.”

Then he buttoned his coat

And limped on away.

Unhobbled his reindeer,

And climbed into his sleigh.

I heard him exclaim

As he headed back North,

“I ain’t never seen nothin’

Buck like that ol’ horse!”