What It Means to Be a Cowboy Today: Principles Explained

What does it really mean to be a cowboy today?

It means responsibility — to animals, to the land, and to the people riding beside you.

The word cowboy gets used loosely.
In this episode of MadLadTV, it earns its meaning.

For Casey Lofthouse and his crew, cowboy life isn’t an aesthetic or a trend — it’s a working system built on care, efficiency, and experience. Every decision has consequences. Every mistake costs time, energy, or safety. Nothing is done casually.

A working system, not a performance

Mules prepped, gear weighed—MadLad Films getting set for the ride ahead.

From the moment the pack mules were loaded, the difference was clear. Weight wasn’t guessed — it was measured. Loads were balanced intentionally to protect the animals over long miles. Camps weren’t chosen for views, but for weather exposure, water access, and terrain.

Even firewood was burned with intention. Unmanaged brush, Casey explained, becomes flood debris downstream — a reminder that stewardship doesn’t end when the fire goes out.

This is cowboy culture as applied knowledge, not nostalgia.

👉 Learn more about responsible land use and backcountry stewardship in the American West

Learning by doing

In frame: Graham Ladd standing beside a white mule.

As Graham Ladd and Ethan Kaiser stepped into this world, there was no performance expected — only participation.

They were:

Handed mule leads
Asked to minimize gear
Reminded quickly that comfort ranks below responsibility

Over the course of 24 hours, moments unfolded naturally:

Riding long stretches in silence across open terrain
Learning why mules outperform horses in backcountry packing
Sharing meals cooked over open fire
Sleeping under the stars because tents are considered “wasted space”
Laughing at honest mistakes — including getting bucked off

These weren’t lessons delivered on camera. They were absorbed through movement, repetition, and humility.

Why this matters for storytelling

This episode captures something rare: a culture still practiced the way it was learned — through experience, not explanation.

For MadLad Films, this is the heart of outdoor filmmaking and marketing videos that resonate. The goal isn’t to dress stories up, but to step into real environments and let truth reveal itself.