I thought doney was a reference to a woman (from the Spanish dona)not a horse.

I am very familiar a number of versions of Good Bye Old Paint and I Ride an Old Paint but I always have persistent questions- including:

1. Often the first verse of Good Bye Old Paint has three lines in it, repeating the first line (For example Fare well fair ladies I'm leaving Cheyenne, Fare well fair Ladies I'm leaving Cheyenne, Good Bye my little doney my poney wont stand) - while the subsequent verses only have two lines. Its almost like an introductiry line to the song that is never repeated again. I have heard this on some very old recordings. Any logical explanation or is that just the way it is?

2. I'm not quite sure where and when the "my horses aint hungry" verses entered the picture - Ive always figured they are floating verses that may have come from Wagoners Lad and got tagged on to to either of the Paint songs because they had the right rhythm and sounded cowboyish.   Is there any indication that they were really part of the songs back when real cowboys may have sung them in a night herding or other setting (I dont know if Good Bye Old Paint was a night herding song) - it is certainly conceivable as cowboys tended to borrow verses from all over and tried to make their songs last as long as possible so there is an incredible amount of "cross pollenization" of verses in their songs. However, the fact that versions that use the My horses aint hungry lines sometimes use the tune of the Wagoners Lad for the tune to the Old Paint song they are wonder.