Deardorff Stable LLC

12/29/2025

Emma Caruso asked me for a 30 second video. I gave her two minutes. 🤦‍♀️
So yes, I’m a little long-winded here, but this story mattered to me and to my involvement with UPHA. I appreciate the opportunity to share it.

12/27/2025

This is what happens when I’m left alone with a selfie stick and opinions. Three things I find suspicious in the show ring as a judge.

12/19/2025

If you want to ride better in 2026, these 26 choices matter. Watch. Choose. Commit. ✔️🐎

12/18/2025

Skill opens the door. 🚪
Desire decides how far you go. 🏆🔥

Skill improves with practice. That part is straightforward. Ride more. Train better. Repeat. 🐎

Desire is different. It shows up in how you enter the ring, how much space you are willing to take, and whether you ride to be noticed or to be comfortable. 🔥

There is nothing wrong with riding for fun. Not everyone needs to compete, and not every rider wants pressure. But a judged show ring is not neutral ground. The moment you trot through the gate, you are asking to be evaluated. 👀

If your goal is to blend in, the class will move on without you.
If your goal is to compete, you have to be willing to stand out. 🎯🏆

That choice matters more than most people want to admit.

12/12/2025

How you carry yourself and how you treat people, especially when the pressure is high, matters. 🤍

This photo wasn’t planned, but it also wasn’t used by chance. These four women are longtime exhibitors with decades in this industry, and they consistently show up with an unmatched level of sportsmanship and respect for both the sport and the people in it. 🐎✨

If you want to make a real impression on a judge, start with who you are before you ever trot through the gate. 🐎
Be the rider who brings calm instead of tension. Be the rider who supports the people around them, even when the pressure is high. 🤍

Great sportsmanship shapes everything.
It creates a better barn aisle, a better warm-up ring, a better show ring, and ultimately a better ride.
Your horse feels it. The people around you absolutely feel it. And yes, the judge sees it. 👀

12/11/2025

If you have been thinking about going to the UPHA Convention, this is your sign. Early bird registration ends Friday. ✨

And West Coasters: Las Vegas is basically our backyard. Most of us even have under two hour direct flights from our “home” airports. It truly does not get easier. No red eye flights, no cross country recovery time, no excuses. ✈️😅

This convention is one of the best ways to get involved, make new connections, catch up with old ones, and actually feel plugged into where our industry is headed. The educational sessions this year are stacked, and the collaborative forums alone are worth the trip. 🤝💬

And…for the first time, I’m on a panel, and it’s a topic I’ve literally written an entire book about:
Judging 101, What Are Judges Really Looking For in the Ring?

We have a strong lineup of judges and competitors ready to pull back the curtain a bit. We are not interested in the watered down, politely vague version of judging. We want to talk about the real stuff, how decisions are made, what actually influences the card, and the subtle details riders overlook. 💡🐴

We are also ready to get uncomfortable because we need to. The future of this sport depends on tackling the issues everyone avoids, and judging is right at the top of that list. If we want transparency, growth, and trust, we have to start having the hard conversations.

And now that I have probably scared off my fellow panelists, make sure you sign up so at least the audience shows up. 😂🙌

Let’s do this.
Get registered before the deadline and join us in Vegas.
Link is in the post below. 🌟

🔥 Important Reminders
The discounted room rate for the ARIA Hotel and Resort ends this Friday, December 12. 🏨✨
Early bird registration for the conference also closes Friday. ⏳📍

Make your hotel reservations here:
https://book.passkey.com/go/SUPH0126AR

12/10/2025

Marti lived this message better than most. Her time with us was short, but her example was lasting. 🤍

There is a last time for everything in this sport.
A last time you swing a leg over a horse who changed you 🐴
A last time you hear the buzz of the crowd, trot through the gate, or stand in the lineup with someone who made your barn feel like home 🤍

Most of us never know when those moments are happening, which is exactly why the ones we do have deserve our full attention.

This photo is a reminder to stop rushing through your rides, your prep, your barn time, and your life like you are guaranteed unlimited reps. You are not. None of us are.

Show up with intention. Show up with gratitude. Show up like it matters 💫

You don’t get these moments back, so make every time count.

In memory of Marti Norris (2006-2025)

12/10/2025

If you needed a little inspiration to keep you going this winter, here is Hall of Famer Don Deardorff at 77, knocking out pull-ups in the barn 💪Apparently retirement still hasn’t caught him, and neither has gravity. Keep going. Allison Deardorff