“You’re Never Off Duty”: Yellowstone Creator Once Explained the Grave Importance of Horses and Ranching for Life in America

The world knows Taylor Sheridan as an actor and filmmaker. His more recent work involves being the writer, producer, and director of the hit Western show ‘Yellowstone’. But before he became any of those things, Sheridan was born in a ranch and that became his way of life forever. Drawing heavy inspiration from his days as a rancher and his relationship with horses, he created ‘Yellowstone’, which ran for 5 seasons. Deeply entrenched in horseriding, Sheridan once explained how horses and riders are of prime importance to Americans for their livelihood, not unlike any equestrian.

In a YouTube video, Sheridan explained why ranching isn’t just any occupation but the entire livelihood of people who do it. He was brimming with pride while explaining how ranching, horseriding, and horses, in general, are close to his heart and the people he grew up with.

What being a ‘rancher’ means to Taylor Sheridan

The YouTube video titled, “Ranching with Taylor Sheridan” saw him take the audience through the wide landscapes of the ranches and farms where Sheridan spends most of his time. He said, “There are a few jobs that are a way of life. If you are ranching or you are farming, your job is your way of life. You are never off duty”. The last line encapsulates how important these lands are to those who own them.

Sheridan goes on the explain why and how the American West is different from the rest of the country. He further states that the people there are still rooted in the traditional way of life. He said, “The jobs in the American West haven’t changed very much over the past century. You still do the job the same way”. While it may seem like a not-so-advanced approach, it is the way they have adopted their life to be.

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Sheridan continues, “In order to put food on the table, it involves a horse, it involves a rider, and it involves your hands”. Horses help them conduct their activities in a smooth manner and in turn the riders are “parents” to them. Sheridan believes that these learnings are what make his actor’s performances authentic and his show look very real.

How Sheridan was inspired to create the show Yellowstone

The show Yellowstone is a drama about a family of ranchers, led by the patriarch John Dutton, played by Hollywood legend Kevin Costner. The plot of the show is based on the namesake national park that is spread across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. It revolves around how John Dutton manages his ranch, the largest continuous ranch in the US, and manages to keep it his own despite threats from politicians, wealthy oil merchants, and businessmen.

Sheridan insists that the daily intricacies shown in the series are as authentic as it gets, and that makes him more proud than ever. Depicting the lifestyle he knows onscreen has been the most successful thing Taylor Sheridan achieved via this show.

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