Mariachi Lyrics Archive
Caballo Viejo
Nobody gives the old horse credit — until he runs. Caballo Viejo is Latin America's most beloved song about love arriving when you'd stopped looking for it.
About the Song
Caballo Viejo is a classic Venezuelan joropo-influenced song written by Simón Díaz, the beloved Venezuelan folk musician and composer who became known as El Tío Simón. First recorded in 1980, the song became an international hit across Latin America and was famously covered by Carlos Santana. Its premise — an old horse who still has fire left in him — became a beloved metaphor for mature love and second chances. The song is rooted in Venezuelan llanero music, the music of the vast plains, but its themes resonated across all of Latin America's folk traditions.
Meaning of the Song
Caballo Viejo is a hymn to the love that finds you when you've stopped expecting it — the kind that catches you completely off guard, the way a cold wind burns. The old horse metaphor is perfect: age doesn't extinguish desire, it seasons it. When the old horse finally breaks from the stable, nobody can keep up. Simón Díaz knew something about this: that the heart doesn't retire, that the savanna still blooms, that love doesn't ask how old you are before it sets everything on fire. This song will make you feel twenty years younger.
Watch the Song
Lyrics / Letra
Cuando el amor llega así de esta manera
Uno no se da ni cuenta
El cauca reverdece y el guapachito florece
Y la soja se revientan
Caballo de la sabana porque estás viejo y cansao'
Pero no se dan de cuenta que un corazón amarrao'
Cuando le sueltan la rienda
Es caballo desbocao'
Y si una potra alazana caballo viejo se encuentra
El pecho se le desgrana no le hace caso a faceta
Y no lo obedece a freno ni lo para un pasarienda
Cuando el amor llega así de esta manera
Uno no tiene la culpa
Quererse no tiene horarios
Ni fecha en el calendario
Cuando las ganas se juntan
Caballo de la sabana
Ni tiene el tiempo comprao’
Y se va por la mañana con su pasito apurao'
A verse con su potranca
Que lo tiene embarrascao’
El potro da tiempo al tiempo
Porque le sobra la edad
Caballo viejo no puede
Perder la flor que le dan
Porque después de esta vida
No hay otra oportunidad
Uno no se da ni cuenta
El cauca reverdece y el guapachito florece
Y la soja se revientan
Caballo de la sabana porque estás viejo y cansao'
Pero no se dan de cuenta que un corazón amarrao'
Cuando le sueltan la rienda
Es caballo desbocao'
Y si una potra alazana caballo viejo se encuentra
El pecho se le desgrana no le hace caso a faceta
Y no lo obedece a freno ni lo para un pasarienda
Cuando el amor llega así de esta manera
Uno no tiene la culpa
Quererse no tiene horarios
Ni fecha en el calendario
Cuando las ganas se juntan
Caballo de la sabana
Ni tiene el tiempo comprao’
Y se va por la mañana con su pasito apurao'
A verse con su potranca
Que lo tiene embarrascao’
El potro da tiempo al tiempo
Porque le sobra la edad
Caballo viejo no puede
Perder la flor que le dan
Porque después de esta vida
No hay otra oportunidad
English Translation
When love arrives like this
One doesn't even notice it
The Cauca blooms again and the guapachito flowers
And the soybean bursts open
Old horse of the savanna, because you are old and tired
But nobody gives you credit
When the old horse gets going
He doesn't leave any mare behind
When you feel that cold wind
That cold wind blowing
That's love passing by, my brother
Burning everything it touches
One doesn't even notice it
The Cauca blooms again and the guapachito flowers
And the soybean bursts open
Old horse of the savanna, because you are old and tired
But nobody gives you credit
When the old horse gets going
He doesn't leave any mare behind
When you feel that cold wind
That cold wind blowing
That's love passing by, my brother
Burning everything it touches
Meet Mariachi Los Muertos™
Mariachi Los Muertos™ transforms classic mariachi songs into a collection of vivid characters. Each character in the Mariachi Los Muertos™ group has been developed to embody the spirit of traditional Mexican mariachi songs.
Inspired by the titles and themes of beloved songs, these characters bring to life the rich cultural tapestry of Mexico in a colorful and imaginative way.
Meet Caballo Viejo
Birthplace: Mérida, Yucatán | Band Position: Lead Dancer | Favorite Food: Marquesitas | Horoscope: Scorpio
"Caballo Viejo," is an old horse who still has plenty of life and love left in him. Despite his years, he dances with the energy of a colt, showing everyone that age is just a number when you’ve got rhythm in your soul. His moves are as sharp as ever, and his passion for dance is as strong as the day he first stepped onto the stage. On stage, "Caballo Viejo" is a whirlwind of energy, his feet flying across the floor as he leads the band in their most lively performances. Off stage, he’s a charmer with a twinkle in his eye and a joke always at the ready, often shared over a plate of freshly made marquesitas.
