Deardorff Stable LLC

08/09/2025

Grateful for the chance to play and ready to make every moment count…though someone might need to remind me of this mid-week when I’m running on caffeine, zero sleep, and adrenaline. 💚🐴

📗 How to NOT Annoy the Judge: World Championship Preparation Reminder

In one week, the gate opens on arguably the most prestigious and exciting show of the year. 🏆

And for most of us, it brings a rush of feelings: nerves, pressure, adrenaline, anticipation. 😬💓 But let’s be honest, it should bring something else, too.

Gratitude 🙏
Excitement 🎉
Joy 💫

Because no matter what division you show in or how your week unfolds, just being there is a privilege. 🎟️

This quote isn’t new. I’ve shared it on my personal page for years. But it applies now more than ever.

“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.”
— Mike Singletary

When the pressure builds, it’s easy to forget what really matters. To forget how much you love your horse 🐴, how far you’ve come ⬆️, and why you chose to do this in the first place. ❤️

But you did choose it.
To compete 💪
To connect 🤝
To rise ⬆️

So if you’re lucky enough to trot down that ramp into the gate at Freedom Hall…remember:
🐎 Remember the little kid who dreamed about this.
💚 Remember the rush of cold air as you enter.
🎀 Remember that every class is a chance.
Every ride is a privilege.
Every moment in the ring is an opportunity.

Let it guide you through every class, every ride, and every challenge. 🌟

08/06/2025

Ever felt like Katy Perry’s chandelier? Just trying to stay upright while everything around you is heat, hairspray, and high-stakes chaos. Welcome to horse shows. 💄🔥 Read on.

Showing horses is SO fun! Here are just a few of the glamorous, totally enjoyable things you get to do:

💄 Sweat through your shapewear while pretending you’re not about to black out in the lineup — but smile, obviously, because the judge is watching.

💎 Lose a $300 earring in the arena footing and seriously consider calling a time out to retrieve it.

📸 Get tagged in a show photo where your horse looks like a Breyer model… and you look like you just sneezed mid-panic attack.

🫣 Spend thousands on a custom show suit and boots… then tromp through mud, manure, and mystery liquids like you picked the whole look up at Goodwill.

🧼 Realize 30 seconds before your class that your horse’s tail hasn’t been brushed and start aggressively whispering at your team like it’s a hostage negotiation.

And somehow, this is our idea of fun.

🚨 How to NOT Annoy the Judge 🚨
Because if you’re going to suffer publicly in couture and compression garments…
You might as well win while you’re at it.

08/04/2025

Lift each other up. Cheer each other on. That’s how we grow the sport. 🌟🐴

🚨How to NOT Annoy the Judge🚨
Be a Good Human. It Pays Off.

We’re in a judged sport, but not everything needs your judgment.

Support each other. Trainers to trainers. Amateurs to amateurs. And everyone in between.
Help the new kid. Compliment the great ride. Share the ring strategy. Fix your competitor’s number if it’s crooked. 👗📎

Being a decent person doesn’t make you weaker in the ring. It makes the entire sport stronger.
The horses benefit. The industry benefits. You benefit. 🐴

And let’s be clear: the horse show world is watching.
The horses, the youth exhibitors, the next generation of professionals: they’re all counting on us to do better.

If we want this sport to flourish with integrity and respect for generations to come, it starts with how we treat each other now.

Choose generosity over jealousy. Respect over ego.
Because being a good human isn’t just nice. It’s strategic. 🧠

08/03/2025

Silent auction 'Half Saddlebred Futurity' hosted online at 32auctions.

08/01/2025

One brilliant pass doesn’t erase seven “meh” ones.
We judge the whole class. Not your highlight reel. 🎯🐴

🚨How to NOT Annoy the Judge🚨
“But did you see that pass?!”

Yes. I saw that pass.
And the 7 before that. 👀🐎

Judges don’t just watch the highlight reel. We judge the entire class both ways of the arena, all required gaits, and every pass you make in front of us, brilliant or not. 🎯📋

A couple great passes don’t erase a ride that was otherwise flat, messy, or inconsistent. 🐌
Conversely, one average pass doesn’t ruin an overall brilliant, consistent performance. 💪🌟

Consistency matters. Presence matters.
Every moment in front of the judge counts. 👑🎬🏆

07/29/2025

You signed up for someone’s opinion. And the judge is required to give it to you 🎟️
Before you vent about the outcome, read this.👇🏼

🚨 How to NOT Annoy the Judge 🚨
Too Close To Call isn't an option 🎯

We’ve all heard it:
“You should’ve won that class.” 🐴🏆
And yeah, on another day, with another judge, the card might read differently. Doesn’t mean either of us is wrong. That’s how close it can be.
And don’t forget, you signed up for the judge’s opinion on that day, at that show. That’s how this works. 🎟️📝

Sometimes the difference between 1st and 2nd… or 5th and 6th… is so small, so microscopic, it’s almost painful to decide. But we still have to. That’s the job. 💼✍️

We don’t get to say, “This is too close to call, I give up” and throw our clipboard in the air. We’re required to rank them. And once the specs are met and the class requirements are handled, it comes down to judgment. Nuance. Feel. Presence. 👀✨

It might’ve been the shape of an ear.
The timing of a single trot pass.
The smoothness of a transition.
The slightest moment of hesitation… or confidence. 🎯

And here’s what most people don’t realize:
That thing you think didn’t matter? Might’ve been the exact reason the card didn’t fall your way. 🧩

One thing is for sure, if I were ever upset enough to consider complaining on social media about my placing, you can bet I’d be doing some self-reflection instead. 🤔 I’d be doing what it took to figure out what that small difference was, because honestly, if it was really that close, it’s probably fixable. 🛠️

And if you don’t know how to figure it out, ask someone you trust and respect: your trainer, instructor, a knowledgeable friend. Someone who’ll tell you the truth and help you grow. Heck, I might regret offering this, but ask me 👥💡

As judges, we want you to know that most of us are hoping you figure it out. We want to see you succeed. We want your number to be the easy one to write at the top of the card. ✨📋✅

Make it easy for us. That’s the real flex. 💪💯

07/23/2025

I, too, sometimes feel fully qualified to judge the entire class while trying to show in it… despite not being hired to do the actual judging. 😅

Thanks to Mr. Hodge for reminding us that showing and judging at the same time is a skill best left to the delusional. 🙋‍♀️

“I just felt like he was really good, but there’s no easy run there, of course. And, you know, I had my hands full. I wasn’t looking at the rest of them. I can’t show and judge at the same time like some people can.”

—Mr. Larry Hodge, at the ASHBA Fine Harness Legends of Saturday Night event 🎤🏆

This was Mr. Hodge’s actual response when asked how he felt about winning a very competitive Fine Harness World’s Grand Championship with Castledream. 🐴✨

And that last line? THE line of the night. 💥

It was funny, yes, but also exactly what some of us need to hear.

As riders, drivers, and trainers in the ring, we’re doing our best to show a horse, stay in position, make smart choices, and not get beat. 💪 We might sneak a glance at the competition, but we’re not watching the class unfold. Not really. Not the way the judge in the center ring is. 👀🎯

Yet somehow, by the time we hit the out-gate, we’re certain how the class should have gone. We act like we had eyes on every entry, every moment, every mistake. But come on. That’s not how this works. 🙃

Mr. Hodge may not be a judge, but he’s a legend for a reason. He understands the ring, the psychology, the game, and he knows better than to confuse one role for the other. 🎯🧠

Thank you, Mr. Hodge, for sharing your wisdom with all of us at the Legends event and for reminding every rider, driver, and trainer of one simple truth:
When we step into that ring, our job is to show. Not to judge. 🎬👏

So next time you walk out holding a ribbon other than blue, think of Mr. Hodge and remember:
You probably don’t multitask as well as you think. 🎡🎖️