Roy had been my favorite  horse for at least the last 12 years.
He and i had seen a lot of country and punched a lot of steers.

Well things were just like normal when we started out that day.
I saddled old  roy up climbed aboard and we were on our way.

We were headed up to the south fork pasture where i heard a wolf'd been hangin round.
If i found  any wolf sign there, well, tomorrow  we'd  have  drive those cattle down.

The day was warm and sunny that made for a pleasant trip.
And We'd  be there in an hour if we kept  a steady clip.

After a 5 or 6 hours lookin for wolf sign i didn't find a clue.
And i had to get back to ranch cause i still had chores to do.

We kind of needed to hurry  cause a bit to long we'd stayed.
So i planned to take a short cut and go down the hard shale grade.

Me and Roy had been down the grade many times before.
So i saw no reason why we could'd make it down once more.

So me and Roy set out as the day began to fade.
And it wasn't long and we found ourselfs at the top of the hard shale grade.

We should've been off the grade in 15 minutes with any kind of luck.
But about half way down old Roy got spooked and began to run and buck.

I somehow cleared the saddle just before old Roy went down  Then i worked my way to where old Roy was laying on the ground.

I Started chekin to see if Roy was hurt and if he was how bad.
What i found while checkin Roy's condition would've made any cowboy sad.

Roy had broke his front leg so bad that the bone was stickin  through.
And i thought it just might kill me thinking about what it was i had to do.

I patted old roy's neck talking  softly to him as he lay there  on the ground.
When he calmed down  a bit i got the gun and prepared to put Roy down.

I didn't want Roy to suffer so i had to cowboy up and do what needed bein done.
But any cowboy that has done it will tell you it is a hard thing do and it isn't any fun.

You may have heard it said that cowboys never cry.
But with tears a runnin down my cheeks i shot old roy right between the eyes.

I sat  for a spell pettin old roy and telling him what a good horse he had been.
And i was crying like a baby i'm ashamed to say my friend.

But as i sat there i began to wonder what Roy would of thought of what i done.
With all hope gone and nothing but suffering ahead i think roy would've been glad i used the gun.

And i believe that if i'm ever at that point where suffering is all that's left and hope can not be found.
That some good friend would do for me what i did for roy and go ahead and put me down.

© terry colby