Riding

Riding at Grier School offers students the opportunity to develop skills through several programs designed to help riders achieve their equestrian goals. Anywhere from two to seven days a week, students ride with Grier’s professional riding staff. The facilities include six barns, two outdoor rings, two indoor arenas, and miles of trails. In order to accommodate all skill levels, the Grier School owns 50 horses which range from the quietest of horses up to junior hunters, equitation horses, and junior jumpers. Grier also offers boarding for privately owned horses.

The school's equestrian program emphasizes three styles of riding: Hunt Seat, which encompasses the classic hunter/jumper and hunt seat equitation style, Western, which focuses on the horsemanship and reining disciplines, and Dressage. The fundamentals taught within the Grier School Stables’ program stretch far beyond these three formats—our staff is proficient in an array of disciplines and is willing to help tailor each individual's needs into the daily program.

For those interested in competition, the Grier School riding program offers a multi-faceted Varsity riding program. Riders on the team have the opportunity to compete at all levels of horse shows, from casual schooling shows to rated competitions in multiple organizations. Grier School is a member of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. This format is a direct mirror of collegiate competition and offers the Varsity riders an opportunity to prepare for college recruitment. Outside of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, the Grier team regularly participates in USEF Premier and Regional Rated competitions, AQHA/APHA competitions, NRHA competitions, and USDF competitions. Between Grier's riding staff and college counseling staff, students begin exploring their collegiate equestrian options in 10th grade.

Outside of the Varsity riding program, Grier also offers Recreational riding for newer riders or those wishing to brush up on their skills. Much like the Varsity program, Recreational riding is designed to help students attain their goals. New riders, old riders, or “just-for-fun” riders are encouraged to participate in the nurturing atmosphere of the Recreational riding department. Many students begin within Recreational riding and advance through to the Varsity program while others prefer to stay inside of the fun atmosphere of the Recreational program.

The Grier School emphasizes excellence within all of its programs and the riding program has proven year after year to uphold this standard. Please feel free to visit our staff page and contact any of the riding faculty to discuss the options available for you and your child within the Grier School Stables Program.

Faculty

List of 1 members.

Chrystal Wood

Director of Riding

Bio
Chrystal Coffelt-Wood came to Grier in Fall 2013 as Riding Director. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Kutztown University where she was the Captain of the nationally ranked Equestrian Team. As a member of the Kutztown Equestrian Team she won multiple IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) Regional, Zone, and National titles in Hunt Seat and Stock Seat Equitation.

Chrystal has over 30 years of experience and began as a professional trainer in 1999, when she took over as the manager of Grey Goose Farm in Oxford, PA. She worked closely with trainer Bruce Lachiusa. She learned to breed, break, and train horses. She also grew as an instructor, developing successful competitive riders competing on the local and national level in hunter/jumpers, equitation and dressage. Her students have had much success with top ribbons at Pony Finals, USHJA Zone 2 Finals, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Capital Challenge Horse Show, USDF National Finals, USEF Festival of Champions, USHJA Junior Jumper Championship and the Devon Horse Show. Grey Goose Farm grew to become one of the most successful sport horse farms on the east coast with multiple horses winning USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) and USDF (United States Dressage Federation) National Horse of the Year Championships. Chrystal’s success with Grey Goose Farm lead to her being named as a Biltmore Who’s Who among business leaders.
In 2005, Chrystal went back to school to obtain a teaching certification. In addition to her MBA, Chrystal has earned an Elementary Education K-6 and Business-Computer Information and Technology K-12 Certification. In 2007, Chrystal took on the head coaching position of the Penn State Berks Equestrian Team. In 2009, the PSU Berks Equestrian Team finished the fall semester 25 points ahead of the rest of the schools in their region.

Since 2018, Chrystal lead the Grier School IEA Dressage team to consecutive National Titles, making Grier the most successful high school dressage program in the country. In 2023, she led Grier School to IEA national championship titles in Hunt Seat and Dressage; while western coach Christopher McElyea led Grier School’s IEA Western Team to a national championship title. This marked the first time any team has ever won all three titles let alone winning all three disciplines in one year.

In 2023, one of Chrystal’s students at the Grier School qualified for the FEI North American Dressage Championships (NAYC) and the USEF Festival of Champions in the FEI Junior Rider division, taking home the championship! In 2024, another one of her Grier students qualified to compete in the USHJA 1.20 Junior Jumper Team Championships.

Grier Named IEA Dressage National Champions!
5/17/2021
The National IEA Dressage High School Champion team is Grier! Grier equestrians competed in the IEA Dressage National Finals this weekend at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. Grier won the Upper School Team Champion title with 34 points and an 11 point lead over the Reserve Champion team. Grier riders had some great individual placements, too, with multiple Champions, a Reserve Champions, and more!
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Congrats to Grier Equestrians in IEA Hunt Seat National Finals!
4/28/2021
Congratulations to all of our #GrierGirls who competed at IEA Hunt Seat Nationals this past weekend in Perry, GA.

Anleigh A. was National Champion in Future Intermediate Fences, Grace T. finished 8th in Novice Flat, Kiera G. finished 8th in Novice Fences, and Jimena P. Finished 5th in Open Flat. Congratulations to Grace W. on being the only IEA member out of 14,000+ members to qualify individually for IEA National Finals in all 3 disciplines: hunt seat, western, and dressage!
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Virtual Tour
3/4/2021
Now, you can experience the Grier Campus from wherever you are. Our Virtual Tour allows visitors to tour the vibrant and engaging campus where girls from many nations and academic backgrounds thrive, learn, and succeed.

Virtual Tour
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IEA Zone 11 Champs!
3/26/2018
Congratulations to the Varsity Hunt Seat team; they are Zone Champions and heading to Nationals at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York, next month! At the Zone Championships at the Horse on Course Riding Center in Valencia, Pennsylvania, this weekend, the Grier Varsity Hunt Seat team maintained their undefeated season.
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