Riding Drag For Grandpa

Mine was not a normal childhood or so I have been told But I wouldn’t trade one day of it for all of Solomon’s gold For I have been horseback since I was three years old My grandpa cut me out a mount, a sturdy Quarterhorse bay And helped me climb up on top & led me out of harm’s way They bunched the cows & grandpa said “Bit, you’ll be riding drag today” I heard a cowboy snicker & I heard another asking “Why?” Grandpa just said, “She might be a “little bit” but she has a lot of try” They knew it was best not to argue for he had that gleam in his eye We must have pushed those cows for ten hot & dusty miles But I knew not to whine for it wasn’t the cowboy style So every time Grandpa would look back I’d do my best to smile Now there are those who’ll tell you that riding drag is no place to be But though I ate two lifetimes of dust I have to disagree For I was riding drag for Grandpa & that was good enough for me Now I’ll never make a roper much to Grandpa’s chagrin He knew that I’d never rope my way to a jackpot win I am walking proof that tossing true ain’t genetically built in He knew with me on drag the day would end without a wreck For though I might not ever settle one loop on a steer neck I’d always done what I was asked & earned Grandpa’s respect Grandpa knew that I would do my best to always make it right He’d seen me & that old Bay keep the stragglers tucked tight And he knew that with me on drag they’d all come home at night I rode that bay for ten spring gathers, bringing up the rear Some of the cowboys they still snickered but I pretended not to hear I cared little for what they thought of me & wouldn’t waste a tear They might think that riding drag was a child’s game to me But though I ate three lifetimes of dust I have to disagree For I was riding drag for Grandpa & that was good enough for me