When working or riding with our horses, be it dressage, jumping, endurance or simple pleasure riding, we need to be aware of, understand and use the horse's five zones to ensure easy control and willing response.

These zones include:
Zone 1: The horse's head and neck
Zone 2: The horse's shoulders and front legs – his front quarters
Zone 3: The horse's rib cage area
Zone 4: The horse's hind legs and his hips – his hindquarters
Zone 5: The horse's mind

The zones of the horse

Although not strictly a zone, we consider the horse's mind to be the 5th zone. As horsemen, we should work at using these zones for the benefit of both ourselves and the horses. If we are able to exercise control over these zones when we are on the ground, it will be so much easier for us to control them under saddle. Indeed, the very essence of horsemanship implies that we understand the importance of these zones, can control them and use them with willing cooperation from the horse.

The five zones can be explained as follows:

Zone 1: Zone 1 consists of the horse's head and its neck. This can be equated to the steering system of a vehicle. The head and shoulders, however, need to be correctly prepared to work effectively as the steering system. Being able to control the head and shoulders with gentle pressure allows us to "steer" or give the horse direction. If we can point the horse's head in a specific direction, the rest of its body will follow.

Zone 2: Zone 2 consists of the horse's shoulders and its front legs and works closely with Zone 1. Although the front quarters do not develop the power of the horse, they receive power from Zone 4 (hindquarters) and use that power to aid direction. As the horse's speed increases, so too does the importance of controlling the front quarters. Control over the front quarters is also important in keeping the horse in an efficient frame.

Zone 3: Zone 3 consists of the horse's rib cage area. Whereas we sit in Zone 3, this zone also acts as the transfer of power from Zone 4 (hindquarters) to Zone 1 and Zone 2. The horse's point-of-balance is also situated in Zone 3. A poor seat, an incorrectly placed saddle and incorrect leg cues can all lead to a disruption of balance and therefore a loss of control. Control over Zone 3 is especially important in doing fast manoeuvres and in riding large and small circles.

Zone 4: Zone 4 consists of the horse's hind legs and its hips. The horse's energy is generated in the hindquarters and transferred through Zone 3 to Zones 1 and 2. This is the horse's engine. Control over the hindquarters aids in lead changes, collection, stops back-ups and more.

Zone 5: Zone 5 is the horse's mind. We need this mind to be relaxed and focussed on the task at hand at all times. When the horse loses its focus or relaxedness, we ought to investigate why. We furthermore ought to know and understand how to help the horse relax its mind and focus on what we are trying to achieve with it. The horse will communicate what is going on in its mind by its eyes, ears and often the tail. We need to observe these tell-tale signs and warnings the horse gives us.

When working with the zones, we ought to note the following:

Zone 1: The young, green or ill-prepared horse will be sticky or stiff in Zone 1. Horses will also usually be softer to one side of the zone (example to the left) and then resist any movement (flexion) to the opposite side. This is due to the fact that horses, like people, can either be left- or right-side dominant. As horsemen, we want our horse to be supple to both left and right and for that reason we should always work both sides of the horse.

Zone 2: Many horses are stiff or sticky in this zone due to the fact that they have usually only been ridden in a straight line with minimal turning. The end result is a horse that becomes stiff in the chest and unable to easily cross-over his front legs, thus limiting its ability to do movements such as the leg-yield, half-pass or side-pass. In order to assist the horse in loosening up in Zone 2, the horse needs to be worked to both sides as well.

Zone 3: The horse needs to be made supple in the rib cage area in order to allow it to easily bend and manoeuvre in circles, tight turns and so forth. A horse that has not been asked to flex in the rib area cannot immediately do so as these muscle groups are unexercised and therefore tense. Here too the horse needs to be worked on both sides of its body in order to prepare Zone 3.

Zone 4: The hindquarters can also be viewed as the horse's "engine". This is where the power of the horse rests. We need to be able to engage the "engine', gear it up or down, put it in neutral, stop it, put it in reverse and so forth. We also need to be able to use Zone 4 to get the horse to do a turn on the haunches, a leg yield, half-pass and so on.

Zone 5: The mind of the horse is the most complex part of this great animal. We need the mind to be relaxed, susceptible to receive instructions and comply with them, remain focused and willing to work with us. When the mind is anxious, fearful or frightened, it has a negative effect on the other four zones thus making our horse nervous, tense or unable to perform at his peak.

Groundwork lays the foundation for our preparation of the horse and the correct use of groundwork will allow us to:

• Get all five zones working in conjunction – and smoothly – with one another
• Relax the horse's mind and get its attention and focus
• Work our horse to both sides thus improving on its balance
• Prepare the horse for the work it is expected to do
• Supple our horse to both its left and its right.

When it comes to working with horses, the old adage "time spent on groundwork is never wasted" ought to become part of our way with horses. Groundwork furthermore allows us to understand how our horse's zones function and help the horse to optimise those zones.

(This article was adapted from the Institute of Horsemanship's Groundwork Module.)