Traditionally, a sailor would embark on a ship to earn money, and after a month, would receive their first paycheck. To celebrate the fact that the sailor was no longer in debt (their horse was dead), they would take a piece of old clothing and fashion it into a horse. They would then drag this stuffed horse across the decks and sing a sea chanty, and eventually burn the horse. We performed the same ritual to celebrate our first month at sea.
The chanty goes like this:
I say, old man, your horse is dead.
An' we say so, an' we hope so!
I say, old man, your horse is dead.
Oh! Poor old Man!
One month a rotten life we've led.
An' we say so, an' we hope so!
While you lay on y'er feather bed.
Oh! Poor old Man!
But now th' month is up, ol' turk.
An' we say so, an' we hope so!
Get up, ye swine, an' look for work.
Oh! Poor old Man!
Get up, ye swine, an' look for graft.
An' we say so, an' we hope so!
While we lays on an' yanks ye aft.
Oh! Poor old Man!
An' yanks ye aft t' th' cabin door.
An' we say so, an' we hope so!
An' hopes we'll ne-ver see ye more.
Oh! Poor old Man!