Events at Prairie Island Farm

Are you looking for a deeper level of horsemanship? Or maybe you want to brush up on your liberty skills? 

Come join clinician Naomi Rutter as she shares her specialized techniques on liberty training. Naomi has trained with some of the best in the liberty business, including Luke Gingerich, Dan James and Hannah Catalino. 

Naomi has plenty of experience performing at liberty as she has used it in her mustang makeover performances as well as multiple ILHA freestyles -- her favorite part of the discipline! 

Through all her training experience, Naomi has developed the best techniques that she feels best explains and demonstrates the liberty discipline to horses and their handlers. 

Naomi will review her intro to liberty techniques with everyone to make sure they are understood. From there, Naomi will help everyone create a connection with their horse during a one-on-one format in the round pen at liberty. 

From there you'll more advanced liberty techniques such as the sidepass to and away, the beginning of the liberty spin, tracking next to the handler and staying in step, teaching stay and recall, and much more. 

The second day will build upon the first by continuing to teach those exercises. 

The third day we will go over how to plan a free style and then each participate will get to plan and prepare their own freestyle with their horse and then perform it at liberty for the rest of the group! 

You will receive Naomi’s foundational liberty videos about 4 weeks before the clinic weekend, showing you her Intro to Liberty techniques and steps. It is recommended that you practice these with your horse before you come to the clinic.

If you do not practice the foundational liberty techniques, that is what you will spend most of your time at this clinic doing as Naomi believes in having a firm foundation before advancing ahead! 

If you have questions during the learning process, you are welcome to reach out to Naomi for help. Her coaching will be available to the participants at no extra cost! 

For the clinic, have your horse outfitted in a well-fitting halter and a 6-10ft lead rope. 

Also please bring with you a lunge whip and carriage whip with shafts (handles) around 5-6ft long . No carrot sticks, please! The longer the shaft, the harder the whip is to handle. 

Recommended Examples:

Lunge Whip

Carriage Whip

This clinic is best suited for trust worthy and experienced horses, as she will be teaching a discipline  that the horse and handler will learn best if all ground manner basics are already in place.

While Naomi loves working with and helping horses and their handlers on their ground manners and connections, she advises that it is best that participants leave their young, inexperienced or problem horse at home. 

Naomi also teaches a Leading for Connection clinic here at Prairie Island in the Spring. If you are interested, email Megan at prairie.island.farm@gmail.com.

This clinic is limited to 6 participants to ensure a high level of learning and teaching.  

Your $650 investment includes your weekend Liberty experience with Naomi, as well as your stall and lunch on Friday and Saturday.  A $325 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot.

Camping is welcome! Electrical hookups are available for $50 for the weekend.

We have a discounted hotel rate at The Pike Inn (formerly Holiday Inn Express) in LeRoy. Group rate: Prairie Island Farm.