Whitestone Farm
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Together Everyone Achieves More
Maya Schattgen
Carol Hawley's Assistant
Maya, an equine enthusiast from a very young age. Began her love affair with horses under the direction of Kathleen Bonner, starting out as a 9 year old pony camper, eventually growing into a program assistant, and continued to train under Kathleen through her high school years. Hollins University was a natural fit for Maya , allowing her to continue her equine education while competing on their swim team. Nancy Peterson, Liz Carter, and Sherri West fine tuned Maya’s equitation as she balanced academics and sports. After graduation, Maya joined the staff at Hazelwild Farm, expanding her equine knowledge and experience under the tutelage and guidance of Director Teresa Seay, followed by tours in Gordonsville , Virginia, and Ocala, Florida, with Will Coleman Equestrian before joining Whitestone Farm as Carol Hawley’s assistant. Maya is delighted to be involved in every aspect of the horse industry, while also following her passion for fostering dogs with Old Dominion Humane Society and photography. When she is not attending to clients and staff, Maya can be found playing with her forever pup, Monte, or snapping beautiful farm life photos!
Rachel is a life long time 'horse girl' from St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated with an Archaeology degree in 2023 and her favorite research projects involved examining early equine domestication and evidence of horse use in prehistory. Her experiences at Whitestone will provide invaluable information for the rest of her career. Her favorite barn cat is Ace for his ability to hold a meowing conversation and her favorite pony is Smokey for his similarity to the first pony she ever rode, Snow. She will be applying to graduate school to continue studying zooarchaeology after completing her time at Whitestone - but she is so excited to be a part of the Whitestone team for the next year and immerse herself in the world of horses again!
Rachel Neupert
Archaeology, 2023 - University of Evansville
Isabella graduated from Washington State University in the spring of 2023 with a Bachelors of Science in Animal science. Her passion for animal care started at a young age where she was raised surrounded by agricultural animals from her family. Isabella’s yearn for equine experience led her to Whitestone Farm where she is currently in the process of veterinary school applications. She is looking forward to gaining barn management experience and exceptional client care. She hopes to become a mixed animal veterinarian in her rural hometown in Washington State. She is joined by her two cats Jax and MoMo who enjoy watching all aspects of farm life through their window perch.
Isabella Arriaga
Animal Science, 2023
Washington State University
Emma graduated from Michigan State University Honors College in the Fall of 2020 and earned a Bachelor of Animal Science, with a concentration in Animal Biology. Emma has experience working as a Veterinary Assistant at a small animal clinic in East Lansing, MI and loves to work with all companion animals. During her time at Whitestone, Emma’s internship focused on teaching riding lessons as well as horse, client and barn management. Emma discovered her passion for veterinary pharmacy during her 2 years at Whitestone, and is currently attending Pharmacy School at Wayne State University. After graduation, Emma plans to work as a Veterinary Pharmacist at a veterinary college teaching hospital to provide care for patients as well as educate veterinary students on the importance of pharmacy. Although she is not physically at the farm, Emma provides support and love for the farm and horses while she lives in Michigan!