We have had the pleasure of working with Mike Branch and his Flying B Horsemanship program for the past few years. Mike Branch has traveled extensively with the Bureau of Land Management where he selects wild mustangs from the herds brought in for adoption and demonstrates the gentling process. Many times Mike has had wild mustangs saddled and is on their backs in only one or two hours. Some of Mike's accomplishments include:
*Nominated for Bureau of Land Management’s "Volunteer of the Year" in 2008 and 2009
*Represented the Bureau of Land Management with two wild mustangs at the "Great Southern Stampede" in Hattiesburg, MS.
*Established the "Wild Mustang School" in Tennessee where students learn to gentle a wild mustang and assist in colt starting.
*Certified Trainer for Mustang Heritage Foundation
*Founding Member of the American Association of Natural Horsemen
*Runner up in "Round Up" in Brandon, MB with Mel Hyland and Bruce Logan
*Representative for the "Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony" at Devon County Show in Exeter, England.
*Received formal introduction to members of the Royal Family in England.
Here at R. W. Bowman Saddle Co., LLC we have produced a fine series of saddles designed to meet Mike's specifications. You will be impressed with these working saddles. They are made with time honored methods to produce a lasting masterpiece and will last a lifetime with reasonable care.
- Tree: Wade Tree made of Southern Yellow Pine and covered in a single, hand-laid layer of 6 oz fiberglass cloth. Manufactured by Steele Saddle Tree, LLC. The ground work is hand shaped using skirting leather over a 20 gauge tin seat strainer. We shape this leather to sit you comfortably in the saddle, eliminating the need for all the fancy-named thick padding that many are using today to cover poor ground work.
- Seat Size: Available in 15", 16" and 17".
- Bars: Full Quarter Horse Arizona Bars
- Weight: Approximately 32 lbs.
- Gullet Width: 7"
- Gullet Height: 7 ¾"
- Swell: Wade Fork; Width 11"
- Skirts: Length 27", Width 12 ½" .Lined with genuine, bark tanned 1" thick wool shearling. 1" density.
- Cantle: Height 4", Width 13", Dish 1 ½". Style 1 ½" Natural Rawhide Pencil Roll. Hand Sewn.
- Horn: Height 2" Diameter 4 ¾". Capped and wrapped, natural rawhide tipped and hand sewn with mule hide wrap.
- Stirrup Leathers: 3" with leather covered Blevins Buckles. Nevada twist with burgundy latigo wrap.
- Stirrups: Natural rawhide covered and metal bound wooden bell stirrups. Hand Laced. 3" treads.
- Rigging: Horseshoe Brand Flat Plate dropped in-skirt rigging in 7/8’s position. 2 ½" beveled stainless steel dees in rear.
- Flank Cincha: 3" tapering to 1 ¾"; burgundy latigo lined. Stainless steel roller buckles.
- Leather: 13-15 oz. Thoroughbred skirting. Rough side out and buffed. Natural color.
- Trim: All Hardware including the saddle screws and washers is stainless steel. Saddle strings cut from premium 5-7 oz. burgundy latigo. We use the Union Lockstitch to sew and pull the 346 white nylon thread tight at 4 ½ stitches to the inch.
- Finish: Each Mike Branch Rough Out Wade first receives a warm coat of 100% pure neatsfoot oil, followed by a generous coat of Aussie Leather Conditioner. Edges are burnished by hand rubbing.
