Meet Four Aces, also known as Ace—a 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding. His impressive breeding includes Sire: Acordetto and Dam: Haamoon, proudly from Stal Hendrix lines. Ace is ridden by Marita Zuraitis, who trains with Seery Hill and Redfield Farm.
Ace is the kind of horse who turns heads in the ring and wins hearts in the barn. “He’s a character,” Marita says. “Always in search of his next snack.” But this isn’t just any horse with a sweet tooth—Ace is famous for loving pizza. One night during night check, Marita’s trainer had a slice of cheese pizza in hand. When she leaned in to close his stall door, Ace took the entire slice in one bite—no hesitation, no regrets. Since then, pizza has become his signature post-win treat (though, truthfully, he gets one either way).
Though still new to the family, Ace has already made his mark. One of Marita’s favorite things about him is his goofy, sweet spirit—and his willingness to try anything. Popcorn, pizza, whatever’s in reach—he’s game.
Their story began when Marita’s trainer spotted Ace just two days out of quarantine at his first U.S. show at HITS Ocala. Despite being fresh off the plane, he won the International Derby. They knew he had talent—but the bigger question was, did he have the kind of brain suited for a nervous amateur rider?
A few weeks later, they tried him at Redfield Farm. Marita fell in love instantly, but the real test was her mom getting on. “We didn’t know what to expect,” she shares. “But he was amazing. My mom felt confident, safe, and even jumped a few small fences—a huge milestone. The rest is history.”
Favorite treats? Pizza, popcorn, and… well, everything. They haven’t found a food he doesn’t like yet.
Marita’s horse journey began before she was even born—her mom put her on a horse the first chance she got, and she’s been riding ever since. “Honestly, I think I was riding before I could walk,” she jokes. Living on the farm and taking care of the horses herself, Marita’s favorite part of equestrian life is the chance to truly get to know each horse’s unique personality.
Karinda K. is a Houston, TX based equine photographer that travels around the United States photographing equestrians and their horses. Karinda specializes in Outdoor Horse & Rider Portrait sessions that bring to life the magical relationship equestrians share with their horses, Senior Portraits, and Fine Art Black & White Background Portraits for those that want a piece of art featuring their very own animals.
Interested in Reserving a Portrait session? Schedule an Info Call Here.
Portraits for Charity was an idea Karinda dreamt up to help give back to families impacted by Childhood Cancer in memory of her husband’s sister Jessica.
If you are interested in having Karinda attend your event and host a Portraits for Charity day, send an email to equine@karindak(.)com.
Need to Contact Karinda? Email us at equine@karinda(.)com or call us at (8 3 2) 598-8715
Information shared in this blog is based on information collected at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, if for any reason this information is incorrect and you would like your horse’s blog post updated, please notify us via email.
