Mike Branch
Flying "B"
Horsemanship
Below is a brief description of clinics available, however we can "customize" a clinic to meet your needs. You may visit our "schedule" page to find out where you can find a clinic to attend, our if you are interested in having me out to your place, feel free to give us a call at 865-548-0112
We start a number of colts at the "Flying B" every year. There is usually a waiting list so sign up as soon as you can to get your colt on reserve for Mike to start.
Mike would like to have your colt for two months if possible (three is preferred) to help ensure that your colt has a solid foundation. Mike would also like to inform you that one or two months is still a "green horse", it takes many hours for you to have a good solid well broke horse.
The cost for the 2012 season is $800.00 per month and is an all inclusive fee with the exception of any veterinary bills that may come up.
"Colt Start Clinics";
Colt start clinics are designed so that the owner of the colt may participate in the starting under saddle of there own colt. These clinics are usually three "half day" sessions, and will run in conjunction with another of Mike's "half day" clinics.
The colt may have been started before or not, either way the clinic will consist of a lot of ground work useful for not only starting your colt under saddle, but for communication skills that will compliment your own horsemanship journey and give you a better understanding of your horse.
"Soft Feel" Clinics;
The term "soft feel" is most commonly a reference to "vertical flexion", but also relates to the horse responding to, rather than reacting to, any amount of pressure added to rein, leg, or seat.
The "Soft Feel Clinics" are designed to help you achieve "vertical flexion", and to begin your knowledge of "impulsion" which will result in a "feel" throughout the entire body of your horse from the nose to the tail, which will help give you the equine partner you desire.
This clinic can also be done in conjunction with the three half day clinic format.
" Ladies Confidence Building - For You and Your Horse";
The "Ladies Confidence Building Clinics" are designed for the woman who needs that extra bit of confidence in her own horsemanship abilities, whether she is new to horses, getting re-started into horses, or maybe has lost some confidence and has some anxiety about riding.
These clinics are designed so that men are not there to embarrass the ladies, and the clinic can be set up however the individual groups needs are.
"Confident Horseman";
This class is set up for the person and horse that still needs a good understanding of ground work, before moving into the saddle, or hitting the trail. In this class we will work on groundwork for half of the clinic and then under saddle the other half of the clinic.
"Horsemanship 1";
This class is designed to help the horse and rider at work in the snaffle bit and/or the Bosal (hackamore). This class will help you find a softer more pliable horse, and help you to start being able to speak to individual parts of your horse at a time, while putting these parts into motion independently of each other.
"Trail Master";
This class is designed to help the confident horseman to understand sending the horse safely over, around, or through obstacles that may be found on the trail. This will cover obstacles from jumps to deadfalls, inclines and declines, and many more. This course will take you quite possibly beyond the trail, to the extreme trail obstacles.
Once in while we come across someone with the talent and personality that we feel is a good match for our horsemanship program.
Pictured below is Harley Goad the first second level graduate of our apprenticeship program.
Harley Goad, Apprentice to Mike Branch Harley Goad is sixteen years old, and she attends York Agricultural Institute in Jamestown Tennessee. She also is a member of The Mt. Helen United Baptist Church, Fentress County 4-H project, and the Mark Twain Chapter FFA. She has been competing in 4-H horse judging, horse bowl and hipology for the past six years and showing in 4-H horse shows for the past seven years. She has won 20 State 4-H Championships and a reserve World Championship in the Racking Horse Celebration. Harley has also competed in two Youth and Yearling Mustang Challenges held by Flying B Horsemanship, where she received first runner up in the first competition and in her second competition she received first place. She is competing in the youth division of the Extreme Mustang Makeover in October at Miller Colosseum in Murfreesboro Tennessee. Harley is an apprentice for Mike Branch with Flying B Horsemanship. She loves showing horses and just helping all the people she can to improve basic horsemanship skills.
Caleb Leach- Apprentice Program
" Again, thank you for having me, I really enjoyed my time with you. My horsemanship was challenged yet again, and I believe I'm a better horseman even after just a few days there. I look forward to my future training as your apprentice".
Caleb is 18 years old, a member of Willowbrook Baptist Church, was a member of Anderson County 4H Horse Project, and was home schooled through high school.
