“Riding for the brand” is an expression from cattle ranching days of the American “Old West.” Most literally, the brand referred to the way cattle were marked to indicate ownership, but its meaning goes deeper.
The brand was a “ranch’s trademark and represents pride, duty, and stewardship while inspiring loyalty, dedication, and cowboy camaraderie.” When you rode for the brand, it meant that you had signed on to the mission, that you had committed, that you were a dedicated team player. If you weren’t, then you had no business being on the ranch’s payroll.
There is a poem called “Riding for the Brand,” by Paul Harwitz, that expresses a lot of the values of responsibility, well-earned pride, trust, community, integrity, and teamwork that most Americans hold dear and that are at the foundation of our success as individuals and as a country.
Click here to read the poem (opens in a new tab).