Pony Strides Literacy: learning reading skills with horses
Equine-Assisted Reading Tutoring
Pony Strides Literacy at Mahogany Bay Farm develops and improves children's literacy skills through equine-assisted learning and interactive reading-based games around the farm.
Our unique and engaging literacy tutoring program is designed for struggling readers in need of extra support, reluctant readers seeking confidence and motivation, or advanced readers seeking enrichment.
Picture: Pony Express Game to match beginning sounds with words
Learning Reading Skills
During our literacy tutoring sessions, learners interact with horses and farm animals from the ground while being immersed in multi-sensory and play-based games to improve and develop their reading skills.
Tutoring sessions are designed for Pre-K through 3rd grade reading levels and focuses on learning the five critical reading skills: phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension through the Orton-Gillingham method and Horse Powered Reading®.
Picture: Multisyllabic word reading to a reading buddy horse
Benefits of Equine-Assisted Learning
Research has shown that equine-assisted learning programs significantly improve communication, self-esteem, empathy, tolerance for stress, problem-solving skills, responsibility, and leadership skills.
Horse Powered Reading® was created by Literacy Education Professor, Dr. Michelle Pickel, and integrates social-emotional learning with academics. When horses and literacy learning are combined, an increase in confidence and motivation is seen in young readers.
Our equine-assisted reading tutoring program is aligned with the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy.
Picture: S-blends Soccer Game to read, spell and write S-blend words
The Orton-Gillingham Method
The Orton-Gillingham method is a structured, sequential, multisensory, and explicit approach to teach reading, writing, and spelling that is grounded in research. The OG method breaks reading and spelling into small, sequential skills like letter-sound relationships, using sight, sound, touch, and movement to build literacy from basic phonics to complex words. It focuses on deep understanding of language structure rather than memorization to build knowledgeable and confident readers. Erin has found the OG method paired with equine-assisted learning is transformational in beginning and developing readers.
Picture: New concept introduction of learning to read compound words
What does a reading tutoring session look like?
-Visual, Auditory & Blending Drills focused on phonological awareness
-Review letters/sounds/literacy patterns/high frequency & heart words
-New Concept Introduction with reading, writing & spelling activities
-Reading-based games to reinforce & practice new learning
-Decodable/Connected text reading, comprehension & progress monitoring
Picture: Stick Pony Tag to learn letters and their corresponding sounds
reading Tutoring Programs
Pony Pals Fall Book Club (Small group tutoring)
This unmounted, immersive, and fun 1 hour program meets once a week for 5 weeks and is designed for learners with 2nd-3rd grade reading levels. This book club is limited to 3 learners. All materials (including the book) will be provided.
Book: Welcome to the Woofmore
by Donna Gephart & Lori Haskins Houran
(Grade 2 Reading Level Book)
Welcome to the Woofmore, where the water bowls are always full and there's kibble on every pillow!
Rufus and his boss, Ms. Coco, work hard to make every guest at the Woofmore feel like a VIP (Very Important Pooch). It's the grand opening of the hotel, and Rufus and Ms. Coco want everything to be pawfect. Especially for their VIP guest, movie star Greta Garbark. But how can Rufus keep the puparazzi from hounding Ms. Garbark? And what will Ms. Coco do when a (very itchy) problem hits the hotel?
Pony Pals Book Club will address:
Vowel Teams
R-controlled Vowels
tch vs. ch
Soft 'c'
Parts of Speech
Reading Confidence & Fluency
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What to Wear: Any type of boots- mud boots, paddock boots or winter boots. No crocs or open-toed shoes around the horses. Please have your child bring a water bottle and dress for the Maine weather. There is a heated room in the barn during cold weather.
Fall Book Club: (Tuesdays 3:30pm-4:30pm)
September 8th - October 6th
Cost for the Fall Book Club (5 weeks) is $135.
Email Erin at MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com to sign up or fill out the New Student Tutoring Form online.
Mahogany Bay Farm is an approved NH EFA Vendor!
Leadline Readers (Private tutoring)
This private 1 hour program meets once a week for 5 weeks and is designed for learners at K-3rd grade reading levels who will participate in unmounted activities while learning and developing their reading skills.
What to Wear: Any type of boots- mud boots, paddock boots or winter boots. No crocs or open-toed shoes around the horses Please have your child bring a water bottle and dress for the Maine weather. There is a heated room in the barn during cold weather.
Fall Tutoring Dates:
are offered weekday mornings and afternoons on the same day and time for 5 weeks with a scheduled make-up class if needed.
Fall Session 1 tutoring starts the week of September 7th and goes through the week of October 5th w/ a make-up class (if needed) the following week at the same day & time.
Fall Session 2 tutoring starts the week of October 19th and goes through the week of November 16th w/ a make-up class (if needed) the following week on Nov 23rd & 24th.
Please contact Erin if you have questions and to see if your desired time is available!
Cost for the program (5 weeks) is $375.
Please note: all 5 tutoring classes must be used within the same Fall session.
Email Erin at MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com to sign up or fill out the New Student Tutoring Form online.
Mahogany Bay Farm is an approved NH EFA Vendor!
Alphabet Academy
This private 30 minute session meets once a week for 5 weeks and is designed for Pre-K and Kindergarten aged children who are learning or need to learn their alphabet knowledge of letter names, letter sounds, and letter formation. Phonological awareness activities of syllable segmentation, rhyming, and phonemic awareness will also be addressed. Alphabet knowledge is gained through learning games with the horses and alphabet activities around the farm.
Cost for the program (5 weeks) is $185 and follows the same schedule as private 1 hour tutoring (Fall dates above).
Please note: all 5 tutoring classes must be used within the same Fall session.
Email Erin at MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com to sign up or fill out the New Student Tutoring Form online.
Mahogany Bay Farm is an approved NH EFA Vendor!
Meet the Tutor
Erin Sheffer, M.Ed
Owner/Director of Equine-Assisted Literacy & Youth Programs at Mahogany Bay Farm
Erin is a NH certified K-12 Teacher who has been teaching since 2011, a certified Horse Powered Reading® Facilitator, a certified RedRover® Readers Facilitator, and has extensive training in the Orton-Gillingham method and Structured Literacy. Erin holds a Master's Degree in Education and a Post Master's Graduate Certificate in K-12 Literacy Education.
pony strides literacy summer reading camp
August 10-13th 2026
We are excited to be offering Summer Reading Camp again this summer for K-2nd grade reading levels!
Campers will focus on the five critical reading skills: phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension through multi-sensory learning with the horses. Your child will experience the fun of learning to read at the farm with interactive reading and writing activities that are aligned with Structured Literacy and taught with the Orton-Gillingham method. Horse reading buddies, Horse Powered Reading® games, and RedRover Readers SEL storytelling will all be part of camp. Experience a reading camp that will help your child build reading skills, confidence, motivation, and critical thinking through interactive experiences with our horses!
Camp runs Monday - Thursday from 9am to Noon. Please have your camper bring a water bottle, snack, and wear boots (no flip flops or crocs around the horses). Cost is $275. Space is limited to 6 campers.
Email Erin to register: MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com
Mahogany Bay Farm is an approved NH EFA Vendor!
Picture: Word Herds (Horse Powered Reading®) to practice CVC words