"Breaking the Bay Gelding"

He was running around the pen with an awful lot of drive,
Which didn’t really surprise me they said he was only five.
He was just a plain bay, the kind you see every day.
Not too flashy, and you hoped not too sassy.

I roped him slick around the neck,
I really didn’t know what to expect.
Would he or wouldn’t he handle this ordeal,
Because his body just tightened like twisted steel.

For 20 minutes we played give and take,
I was glad he was doing the giving for my sake.
I threw the slack across his back, and pulled it behind his hip,
I hoped he wouldn’t come untrained, or I’d have to lay the trip.

He proved himself not to be a dope,
Because he moved around the pen at a quiet easy lope.
I threw on the saddle and pulled it tight,
Half expecting him to take flight.

He stood there froze, I looked at him close.
He had a kind eye, I gave out a sigh.
He weighed 1,200 pounds if he weighed an ounce,
And I knew if he bucked me off I’d hit hard enough to bounce.

I swung up in the saddle and thought, at least I can hope,
And sure enough he moved out in that quiet easy lope.
I know they’re not all this easy to break,
But when you get to my age you can hope for goodness sake.