United States Eventing Association

USEA Horse of the Month: Z

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

• Barn name:

“Z is a pretty easy name so that sticks.”

• Favorite Treat:

“Z is a good eater - he likes most food including carrots, mints, etc.”

• Favorite phase in eventing:

“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.”

• Personality Traits:

“He is naturally a bit shy, but as his education has increased so has his confidence and outward personality.”

• Likes:

“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.”

• Dislikes:

“He is not a fan of crowded arenas and warmup.”

• Any other facts you’d like to add about him?

“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.