Originally, I wanted to preserve the 8 line format as above, but that didn't work too well, as the Hank Snow version adds some elements and subtracts others, so I resorted to a 4 line grouping. Glad to be of help ~~ if you want the RA recording, I will Email it to you.

PATANIO, THE PRIDE OF THE PLAINS
as sung by Hank Snow, The Thesaurus Transcriptions, Bear Family 15488, 1991 (original release, 1952)

You look at this picture with a wondering eye,
And then at the arrow that hangs by its side.
"Say tell a story for you know there is one."
With the name of Patanio, the story begun.

I'll tell you a story that will thrill you I know,
Of a horse that I owned down in New Mexico.
Swift as an antelope and black as a crow,
And a star on his forehead as white as the snow.

His hair like a lady was glossy and fine.
He was restless and proud, but so gentle and kind.
His arched neck was hidden by a thick flowing mane,
And they called him Patanio, the pride of the plain.

The country was new and the settlers were scarce,
And the Indians on the warpath were savage and fierce.
Scouts were sent out every day from the post,
But they never came back so we knew they were lost.

One day said the captain, "Someone he must go,
For help to the border at New Mexico."
A dozen brave fellows right away answered, "Here!"
But the captain he spied me and standing right near.

Patanio beside me, his nose in my hand.
Said the captain, "Your horse is the best in the land.
You're good for the ride, and the lightest man here,
On the back of that mustang, you've nothing to fear.

So proud of my horse, that I answered, "You know
Patanio and I both so willing to go.
For speed and endurance, I'll trust to the black.
Patanio will carry my life on his back."

Then they all shook my hand and I mounted my horse,
Rode down the dark pathway and turned his head north.
Black struck a trot and he kept it all night,
'Til just as the East was beginning to light.

He answered the touch with a toss of his head,
His black body lengthened and forward he sped.
We were beating the redskins and the story was plain,
When the arrows fell 'round us like showers of rain.

We were leaving the redskins and the story was plain,
When suddenly in my leg that I felt a great pain.
The blood it gushed forth from Patanio's side,
But he never once shortened his powerful stride.

Patanio, poor fellow, I knew he was hurt,
But still he dashed forward and into the fort.
For many a fine horse I've clasped on the reins,
But none like Patanio, the pride of the plains.

Kendall, it could be that Slim Clark is the Big Slim that you remember. At first, given the fact that Powder River Jack Lee had it in his 1937 songbook, I questioned the claim of authorship. But when I discovered that Slim Clark first began singing in 1931 (though he did not start recording until the early 40s), I conceded that it was possible. Another thing that makes it somewhat likely that they are the same person is that Slim Clark lives in St. Albans, Maine, so you could easily have run into him. Info about Slim Clark and his recordings here According to the site (copyright 1998), Slim Clark is still alive and still performs. There are several pictures of him on the page, so you might want to check them out. Of course, if you have met Slim Clark too, then that throws out my theory.