Local Equestrian Center Stays in the Arena

When a new rider begins to understand the relationship between rider and horse, a transformation occurs. Watching this transformation is part of what inspires Connie Christopher, riding coach, horse trainer, and breeder at Criswood Farm on Hoadly Road to keep working over 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

“I like seeing people start out learning to ride who have never ridden, and then end up buying a horse and going to shows,” Christopher said. “I enjoy watching people change their views on riding animals.”

Christopher and her parents, Clayton and Doris Christopher, have owned Criswood Farm since they bought it in 1976.

“We named it Criswood because we didn’t want to name the farm Christopher Farm,” Doris said. “Now everyone calls me Mrs. Criswood. I don’t mind and I don’t correct them.”

Since buying the farm, they have watched the area grow up around them. The farm is less than half a mile from a shopping center, and sits near a four-lane highway.

Doris finds it hard to remember what the area used to look like.

“It’s changed so much,” she said. The farm used to sit by itself on a curvy two-lane road. The Christophers have received several offers for the farm over the years, but they refuse to sell. They don’t mind the shopping center, and they’d like to continue running the farm the way they always have.

“We’re one of the first to be here, and we’re about the last to be here,” Connie said. Another former equestrian center in the area was sold last year.

In addition to stalls for the 47 horses that live there, Criswood also has indoor and outdoor riding arenas, and a tack shop run by Doris.

After years of taking care of the horses, Doris finds manning the tack shop counter to be relaxing. She didn’t grow up around horses, but bought a horse for Connie when she was 13. Connie took riding lessons and liked it so much that she went to equestrian school.

“You got to be careful when you let kids take lessons,” Doris said. “It’s a love that never leaves you. You have to be dedicated.”

While Connie was away at equestrian school, the Christophers bought the 30-acre property and turned it into an equestrian center, remodeling the cow barn into a stable for the horses. Connie began to breed and train American Quarter Horses, entering them into shows, and driving a six-horse trailer so often that she could back it into a parking spot quickly and smoothly.

In addition to breeding and training their own horses, the Christophers offer riding lessons, breeding and training to clients and their horses. Both English and Western riding lessons are offered, and Connie also coaches dressage and competitive trail riding.

“I have a lot of people that haul in for lessons that pleasure ride and want to better their riding or their relationship with their horse,” she said.

Client Cory Balsis has been coming to Criswood Farm since 1997 to work with her show horses.

“[Connie] is not only knowledgeable, but she treats her horses with respect, and they respect her too. She would never ask you to do something that she wouldn’t do herself,” Balsis said.

One of Connie’s favorite horses is 34-year-old Smoky, an ex-show horse given as a lesson horse to Criswood when he was 15 because he had arthritis.

“The vet told the owner that if Smoky didn’t get ridden every day, he’d get so bad that he’d have to be put down,” she said. “I like them all. They all grow on you like pets. But Smoky is one of the favorites.”

Smoky also acts as a “babysitter for the baby horses,” she said.

Criswood Farm offers both group and private lessons throughout the week. Eight instructors help share the load, and group lessons run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. Private lessons are offered in the morning. On warmer days, the riders practice outdoors, but the large indoor arena is available for colder weather. About 150 to 200 students come every week.

Lessons are available to anyone older than seven. The cut-off age used to be nine, Doris said, but all the tears from younger siblings persuaded them to change that. Criswood also offers a week-long camps throughout the summer for kids older than eight, which feature activities such as dressing up a horse or going on a scavenger hunt.

“We don’t do any kind of busy work,” Doris said. There are no quizzes and no paperwork for the kids—just plenty of hands-on activity. Some kids become so fond of camp that they plan their summer visits to their grandparents around it.

“I tell the grandparents, ‘Oh, I know what your method is. You tell them they can go to camp so they’ll come visit you,’” Doris said.

Criswood hosts horse shows twice a year for the kids who take lessons. The next one will be near the end of April.

The Criswood Farm and Tack Shop is at 5304 Hoadly Road. Call 703-590-4224 for more information. To contact their Gainesville location, call 571-261-3752.