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 2nd 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 and spell 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 Drill 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 text reading, comprehension & progress monitoring
Picture: Stick Pony Tag to learn letters and their corresponding sounds
reading Tutoring Programs
Horse Powered Reading® (Small group tutoring)
This unmounted immersive and fun 1 hour program meets once a week for 5 weeks and is designed for learners in K-2nd grade. This program is limited to 3 learners.
What to Wear: Jeans or leggings and boots with a heel. 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 where students (and sometimes a pony!) stay warm :)
Winter Session 1 Dates for Kindergarten: (Tuesdays 10am-11am)
12/2, 12/9, 12/16, (no class during Holiday Break), 1/6, 1/13 & Make up class 1/20 at 10am
Winter Session 1 Dates for 1st Graders: (Wednesdays 10am-11am)
12/3, 12/10, 12/17, (no class during Holiday Break), 1/7, 1/14 & Make up class 1/21 at 10am
Winter Session 1 Dates for 2nd Graders: (Thursdays 10am-11am)
12/4, 12/11, 12/18, (no class during Holiday Break), 1/8, 1/15 & Make up class 1/22 at 10am
Winter Session 2 Dates for Kindergarten: (Tuesdays 10am-11am)
1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 & Make up class 3/3 at 10am
Winter Session 2 Dates for 1st Graders: (Wednesdays 10am-11am)
1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25 & Make up class 3/4 at 10am
Winter Session 2 Dates for 2nd Graders: (Thursdays 10am-11am)
1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26 & Make up class 3/5 at 10am
Cost for one Winter Session (5 weeks) is $125.
Please note: all 5 tutoring classes must be used within the same winter session.
Email Erin at MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com to sign up.
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 in K-2nd grade who will participate in unmounted activities while learning and developing their reading skills.
What to Wear: Jeans or leggings and boots with a heel. 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 where students, the barn bunny (and sometimes a pony!) stay warm :)
Winter Session 1 & 2 Dates:
are offered Monday through Thursday from 11am to 5pm on the same day and time for 5 weeks with a scheduled make-up class (if needed) following the Horse Powered Reading® schedule. For example, if your child is signed up for private tutoring sessions for Winter Session 1 on Tuesdays at 3:30pm their tutoring days are 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, (no class during Holiday Break), 1/6, 1/13 & Make up class 1/20 at 3:30pm. 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 winter session.
Email Erin at MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com to sign up.
Mahogany Bay Farm is an approved NH EFA Vendor!
Alphabet Academy (Small group tutoring)
Alphabet Academy is designed for Pre-K and Kindergarteners who are learning or need to learn the alphabet letters (upper and lower case) and the letter sounds (phonemes).
This unmounted program meets once a week for 5 weeks and focuses on different letters each week through games, activities and read alouds with the horses and farm animals. It's limited to 4 learners per session.
What to Wear: Jeans or leggings and boots with a heel. 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 where students (and sometimes a pony!) stay warm :)
Winter Session 1 Dates : (Mondays 10am-11am)
12/1, 12/8, 12/15, (no class during Holiday Break), 1/5, 1/12 & Make up class 1/19 at 10am
Winter Session 1 Dates : (Mondays 3:30pm-4:30pm)
12/1, 12/8, 12/15, (no class during Holiday Break), 1/5, 1/12 & Make up class 1/19 at 3:30pm
Winter Session 2 Dates : (Mondays 10am-11am)
1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23 & Make up class 3/2 at 10am
Winter Session 2 Dates : (Mondays 3:30pm-4:30pm)
1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23 & Make up class 3/2 at 3:30pm
Cost for one Winter Session (5 weeks) is $125.
Please note: all 5 tutoring classes must be used within the same winter session.
Email Erin at MahoganyBayFarm@gmail.com to sign up.
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 is trained in the Orton-Gillingham method. Erin holds a Master's Degree in Education and is currently finishing her 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