He never finished outside of the top 10 in 2019, he placed third at the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final, he won the CCI4*-S division at Stable View, and earned 210 USEA points last year to be named the 2019 Standlee Premium Western Forage USEA Horse of the Year - Z is the January Horse of the Month! Z is an 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by the Z partnership and ridden by Phillip Dutton.
A workhorse who is naturally shy and dislikes crowded arenas - learn more about the Zangersheide gelding through his longtime rider, Dutton.
About Z
“Z is a pretty easy name so that sticks.”
“Z is a good eater - he likes most food including carrots, mints, etc.”
“I would say it’s the cross-country. He certainly gets pretty excited about it, but I can tell he’s also proud of himself at the finish and the cool down.”
“He is naturally a bit shy, but as his education has increased so has his confidence and outward personality.”
“He likes to work, so that’s one of the reasons we get along. I do think he likes to compete and perform. He also likes his turnout.”
“He is not a fan of crowded arenas and warmup.”
“I feel lucky to be a part of his career and to watch him grow and mature. Plus, I think the best is ahead of him.”
About the USEA Horse of the Month
The USEA is recognizing an event horse each month on the USEA website and social media. The USEA Horse of the Month is determined based on statistics and event results and announced at the beginning of every month. The January Horse of the Month was selected based on the performance of the 2019 USEA Competition season.
A skilled farrier is an essential part of a horse's success in and out of the show ring. No matter if your horse is shod all the way around or happy barefoot, as the old adage goes, a horse is only as healthy as his/her hoof. With February being International Hoof Care Month, we thought it was a great time to reach out to some top grooms and farriers in the industry for some tips and tricks on how you can keep your horse's hooves in tip-top shape, all while making your farrier very happy!
After a very successful inaugural year, the 2025 USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship is quickly approaching. Grab your fellow barn mates, classmates, Pony Club members, and friends in grades 5th through 12th to create an IEL Club today. The best way for members to prepare for this exciting event is to participate in IEL Team Challenges held at venues across eight different USEA Areas throughout the year.
Due to the response at the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, the decision has been made to add an extra day of competition to the 2025 event schedule. The new dates for the 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Championships are Friday, May 2 through Sunday, May 4. Click here to view the event omnibus now.
And just like that—2025 is upon us! Thinking about the year ahead can be exciting and a little overwhelming. You are not alone! Let’s talk through a few strategies I use this time of year to mentally and physically prepare for making the most out of the upcoming year.