The evolution of the modern cowboy in the American Southwest is traced in this documentary. In the days when there were a hundred Indians for every white man, there were also vast herds of wild, long-horn cows. Cowboys captured wild horses so that they could ride the range to round up the cattle and the pursuit, roping and breaking of these mustangs is shown. After the Civil War, with expansion of the railroads, the East became a major market for beef. A cattle drive north to meet the railroads is recreated, including footage of a stampede. The development of ranches and the stringing of wire fences inconveniences many cattle drives as the animals no longer have access to water holes. The fence wars bring gunmen, then lawmen to the West. Bob and Beau Johnson are seen performing their everyday chores on a modern ranch: rounding up calves, administering medications, maintaining equipment, mending fences around fifty-seven square miles, pulling cows out of mudholes and branding calves. When a cow attempts to protect a calf from a coyote attack, Bob chases the coyote away. The social life of a cowboy is depicted as a group of cowboys spruce themselves up and head over to a neighboring ranch for a square dance. Roundup time on the Latham ranch includes scenes of cattle being run through a dipping bath to eradicate ticks and hoof-and-mouth disease. During a small country rodeo, cowboys compete in calf roping and in bull riding. Other events, including bucking broncos, Brahma bull riding and a wild horse race, are also featured. The film ends with the reminiscences of an old cowboy and images of the ruins of former towns.
