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Unbranded
On an epic 3,000-mile journey through the most pristine backcountry of the American West, four friends rode horseback across an almost contiguous stretch of unspoiled public lands, border to border, from Mexico to Canada.
For their trail horses, they adopted wild mustangs from the US Bureau of Land Management that were perfectly adapted to the rocky terrain and harsh conditions of desert and mountain travel.
A meticulously planned but sometimes unpredictable route brought them face to face with snowpack, downpours, and wildfire; unrelenting heat, raging rivers, and sheer cliffs; jumping cactus, rattlesnakes, and charging bull moose; sickness, injury, and death. But they also experienced a special camaraderie with each other and with the mustangs. Through it all, they had a constant traveling companion—a cameraman, shooting for the documentary film Unbranded .
The trip’s inspiration and architect, Ben Masters, is joined here by the three other riders, Ben Thamer, Thomas Glover, and Jonny Fitzsimons; two memorable teachers and horse trainers; and the film’s producers and intrepid cameramen in the telling of this improbable story of adventure and self-discovery.
For their trail horses, they adopted wild mustangs from the US Bureau of Land Management that were perfectly adapted to the rocky terrain and harsh conditions of desert and mountain travel.
A meticulously planned but sometimes unpredictable route brought them face to face with snowpack, downpours, and wildfire; unrelenting heat, raging rivers, and sheer cliffs; jumping cactus, rattlesnakes, and charging bull moose; sickness, injury, and death. But they also experienced a special camaraderie with each other and with the mustangs. Through it all, they had a constant traveling companion—a cameraman, shooting for the documentary film Unbranded .
The trip’s inspiration and architect, Ben Masters, is joined here by the three other riders, Ben Thamer, Thomas Glover, and Jonny Fitzsimons; two memorable teachers and horse trainers; and the film’s producers and intrepid cameramen in the telling of this improbable story of adventure and self-discovery.
188 pages, Hardcover
First published December 22, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 14, 2018
The making of a documentary,the pictures were excellent.The writing was less so.I think it would have benefited from more descriptions.It felt rushed.
November 4, 2018
Very good read! I would love to some crazy assed project like that. Mine would have to be walking since I am no horseman!
January 18, 2019
Breathtaking scenery. A compelling story. Horses ... what's not to like?
May 19, 2019
If you were to buy the hardcover version of Unbranded by Ben Masters, I'm sure that it would make an excellent coffee table book as there are so many beautiful shots of western landscape, horses, cowboys and wildlife. I however read the kindle version and still poured over every picture.
Ben Masters had recently graduated from Texas A&M and wanted to do something purposeful before moving into a career. He was already a horseman and a outdoorsman and as he had been on a lengthy trail ride across Colorado, he decide to collect some buddies and some horses and ride from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, on public lands and riding on mustangs or wild horses (tamed and broken, of course.) He states:
"Managing habitat wisely is a responsibility that my generation has inherited from a long list of conservationists who devoted their lives to promoting and maintaining biodiversity through informed land management. Honoring this legacy often requires large sacrifices and unpopular decisions, but no responsibility is more important."
While on the trail ride in Colorado Masters had noted that the mustangs were the better horses for the trail and:
"I also wanted to show people that mustangs aren’t the worthless beasts that are currently wasting away in holding pens but are excellent, usable stock, especially in the backcountry. Some of them make great mountain horses, they’re inexpensive, and they’re living symbols of the American West. Mustang management is also in dire need of policy change, and currently the only method of population control is adoption. By using mustangs, I hoped to inspire adoptions and educate viewers on the necessity of population control."
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a great adventure and travel book. I am looking forward to watching the video, a trailer of which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swX4B...
Ben Masters has just written a second book, titledThe River and the Wall in which he travels by horseback along the length of the Rio Grande. I intend to read that as well.
Ben Masters had recently graduated from Texas A&M and wanted to do something purposeful before moving into a career. He was already a horseman and a outdoorsman and as he had been on a lengthy trail ride across Colorado, he decide to collect some buddies and some horses and ride from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, on public lands and riding on mustangs or wild horses (tamed and broken, of course.) He states:
"Managing habitat wisely is a responsibility that my generation has inherited from a long list of conservationists who devoted their lives to promoting and maintaining biodiversity through informed land management. Honoring this legacy often requires large sacrifices and unpopular decisions, but no responsibility is more important."
While on the trail ride in Colorado Masters had noted that the mustangs were the better horses for the trail and:
"I also wanted to show people that mustangs aren’t the worthless beasts that are currently wasting away in holding pens but are excellent, usable stock, especially in the backcountry. Some of them make great mountain horses, they’re inexpensive, and they’re living symbols of the American West. Mustang management is also in dire need of policy change, and currently the only method of population control is adoption. By using mustangs, I hoped to inspire adoptions and educate viewers on the necessity of population control."
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a great adventure and travel book. I am looking forward to watching the video, a trailer of which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swX4B...
Ben Masters has just written a second book, titledThe River and the Wall in which he travels by horseback along the length of the Rio Grande. I intend to read that as well.
November 4, 2021
If you love wild things, especially horses you will enjoy this collection of photos and stories that were written after the documentary "Unbranded". It's mostly told by Ben Masters and he is listed as the author.
I enjoyed reading this and hearing of all the adventures, happenstance things, and all of the details that went into preparing and carrying out the trip. I would read it again.
You will also want to watch the documentary too.
I enjoyed reading this and hearing of all the adventures, happenstance things, and all of the details that went into preparing and carrying out the trip. I would read it again.
You will also want to watch the documentary too.
March 1, 2015
loved reading about the adventure of 4 guys and 16 mustangs riding from Mexico to Canada. Interesting and comical stories and the photographs are beautiful. Will read it over and over. May even use pictires in future as reference for watercolor paintings! Can't wait to see the film.
August 2, 2019
This was such a fun read! I liked that certain events were told by different people. I loved the descriptions of the scenery and the horses. The photos were breathtaking. I loved his focus on conservation of the mustangs and the wilderness toward the end of the book--this part especially resonated with me deeply.
But I will always have that last mile to remind me of the lessons I learned, a daily challenge of not to repeat my mistakes because the adventure lives on.
But I will always have that last mile to remind me of the lessons I learned, a daily challenge of not to repeat my mistakes because the adventure lives on.
December 5, 2018
A beautiful, stunning book--showing the true wild west and gorgeous horses. A companion book to the documentary, Unbranded about four young men who rode mustangs from Mexico to Canada. Worth checking out.
May 24, 2019
I watched the movie a whiole ago and it was a great movie so I decided I was going to read the book and I thought that they were very similar which I liked and both are very honest, real stories that I can relate to.I would recommend this book to anyone who likes horses or books about adventure.
September 5, 2019
My absolute favorite documentary and one of my favorite books. Can't help but read the entire thing in Masters voice.
January 30, 2026
Such an amazing story. I saw the documentary, too, but really enjoyed the detail and the writing of the story. Incredible stuff.
Fantastic photography!!
Fantastic photography!!
March 3, 2025
There remains a part in all of us that yearns for the untouched, grandiose and majestic part of nature rarely experienced by today’s generation. What was it like to travel across this great land on horseback? What challenges did generations past overcome to live and survive in such austere conditions? Ben Masters and his team travel from Mexico to Canada on the icon of American lore; the Mustang. Their journey stirs mind and emotion as they travel through challenging terrain; often testing the mettle of man and beast.
With them, we come to appreciate the bond between man and mustang, and how together they navigate perils we can only imagine. Mustangs must tame their instinct to panic and run from things unfamiliar, while the horsemen must learn skills never before needed. Their well-planned quest starts with tepid excitement, but they quickly learn that so large a task succeeds only because of the generosity of others who share a love of the wild places.
Unbranded, for a moment, takes us from the daily bustle and gives us a glimpse of the spirit that made America. We share a bond with the wild horses that roam the plains for we are both strong, independent and hearty. Yet, there is a danger we could lose this icon without proper conservation management. Hopefully, this book awakens readers of the need to balance the requirement for resources and preserve the mustang for future generations. Though this was not his purpose at the beginning, Mr. Masters sums up his experience here:
"I often wished I lived in the year 1500, when nature dominated the continent. But I don't, and I now feel an obligation to take care of the land that has taken such good care of me—to conserve nature in a manner that accepts the human need for nature's resources. I love the wild places we traveled through—a genuine love that came from being in those places. It's difficult to love wild places if you don't experience them, and you can't experience them if they don't exist. Using our resources wisely, conserving the integrity of landscapes, and getting outside—away from the lights and bustle of cities—are necessary for the future of wild places. If we lose them, we won't get them back."
With them, we come to appreciate the bond between man and mustang, and how together they navigate perils we can only imagine. Mustangs must tame their instinct to panic and run from things unfamiliar, while the horsemen must learn skills never before needed. Their well-planned quest starts with tepid excitement, but they quickly learn that so large a task succeeds only because of the generosity of others who share a love of the wild places.
Unbranded, for a moment, takes us from the daily bustle and gives us a glimpse of the spirit that made America. We share a bond with the wild horses that roam the plains for we are both strong, independent and hearty. Yet, there is a danger we could lose this icon without proper conservation management. Hopefully, this book awakens readers of the need to balance the requirement for resources and preserve the mustang for future generations. Though this was not his purpose at the beginning, Mr. Masters sums up his experience here:
"I often wished I lived in the year 1500, when nature dominated the continent. But I don't, and I now feel an obligation to take care of the land that has taken such good care of me—to conserve nature in a manner that accepts the human need for nature's resources. I love the wild places we traveled through—a genuine love that came from being in those places. It's difficult to love wild places if you don't experience them, and you can't experience them if they don't exist. Using our resources wisely, conserving the integrity of landscapes, and getting outside—away from the lights and bustle of cities—are necessary for the future of wild places. If we lose them, we won't get them back."
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March 10, 2015This is a gorgeous book about a cross-country journey made by four Aggies. These young horsemen are inspiring in the way that they had a goal or aspiration and they just went for it, from a successful Kickstarter campaign to a challenging trip with wild mustangs.
July 6, 2015
I really enjoyed the book and its message. Looking forward to the film!
June 9, 2018
Great book! I watched the movie also and even got to pet the actual horses! It's information packed and has beautiful pictures. I would recommend this to adventurers or horse lovers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews