my girlfriend's a dragon 1976 and and I am an ox 1973 how will it work out?

You may get along well with each other to maintain a good pair. Both of you have very distinct personal charaters and are very stobborn, so some arguments may happen in the daily life. And as you mentioned that you have more patience, it is defintately a good thing and it can help you live more harmoniously. I suggest you communicate more in the daily life so that you can understand each other well and lead a happy life for long.
In the respect of western signs, it can also be a nice match as long as you communicate more and be more considerate with each other.

The zodiac or horoscope is all just for entertainment purposes. If you really want a relationship to work, you have to work at it. Period. Doesn't matter what signs you are. It's silly to take any of this seriously. If you have conflict, talk it out, if you can't communicate effectively, go seek a good therapist. There's no magic potion or divine ordinance, just hard work.