We Create Educated & Compassionate Horse Lovers

Mahogany Bay Farm's Owner/Director of Equine-Assisted Literacy & Youth Programs, Erin Sheffer, M.Ed, has had a lifelong passion for horses! Erin spent her youth riding young and green horses, mostly off-the-track Thoroughbreds, and having fun competing at horse shows in the hunter and equitation divisions. While receiving her Bachelor's degree in Business and her Master's degree in Education, she worked for several hunter/jumper, dressage, and eventing barns doing everything from mucking stalls to training horses to teaching. She also volunteered at a 24-hour emergency equine veterinarian clinic to solidify her education in horse care and stable management. Erin started teaching high school business classes in 2011 and has since taught middle and high school computer classes, STEM, technology integration and literacy to elementary students all while managing her horse farm and teaching riding lessons and summer camp. After 20 years of teaching riding and horsemanship lessons and with her beloved lesson horses nearing retirement, Erin combined her two loves of horses and teaching, and earned her certification to become an equine-assisted literacy tutor. She also gained extensive training in the Orton-Gillingham method and Structured Literacy, and earned her Post Master’s Graduate Certificate in K-12 Literacy Education. Erin is proud of her riding lesson student’s accomplishments in and out of the saddle with many 1st places and Championships in hunters and equitation throughout Maine and New England including the AEL Nationals Open Champion. Some students have gone on to ride for their college teams, work in the veterinary field, pursue careers in the equine industry, and all have become knowledgeable and compassionate horsemen which was the core of Erin’s program. Today, her retired lesson horses help teach literacy skills to young readers and love being part of MBF’s various youth educational programs and summer camps.