Ros Maindok - Equine Functional Solutions with Biomechanics

08/02/2026

Some days I very much feel the “aloneness” or disconnect to other people. Especially in a social setting.

What does one say … listen … nothing ..

Peopling is not my forte, but I like being social .. until I feel that feeling of not connecting with anyone.

Interesting to see what version of me speaks … sometimes it is complicated me .. the one that can be too much… information wise. I have to remember to ask others questions… lots of work to do ..

Despite feeling awkward .. the anxiety didn’t bolt. I shall return In the end I will have my horse and we can support each other.

Evolving is always evolving…

04/02/2026

This is an amazing description of what Pillar One is all about. 😍🤩
As a Nerve Release practitioner we utilise pillar one in the sessions. We encourage all owners to learn and practice find it in stance, plus dynamic. Love it …

I loved learning this work as it aligned with the neutral alignment and SOM work I was already doing …

Re training nervous system patterns that are expressing in the body.

How the Postural Component of Pillar One Evolves as the Horse Develops

A common misunderstanding about Pillar One, is the assumption that the postural component is fixed. In reality, Pillar One changes as the horse’s body and nervous system develop.

Some horses, especially earlier in the process, need to come lower than their withers in order to truly stretch the rhomboids and allow the atlanto-occipital (AO) joint to find extension. For those horses, a lower head and neck position is about creating enough space in the cervical region for the body to reorganize and let go of unnecessary tension.

With improved strength, balance, and postural support, the horse becomes capable of finding healthy activation at progressively higher head and neck placements without falling into compensation. This upward progression is the goal but we must first guide the horse into the position their current level of development needs in order to relax cervical muscles that may be limiting thoracic sling activation.

This evolving postural organization is the Pillar One position. It isn’t a shape to be held or a frame to maintain. It’s a relationship between posture, balance, and nervous system support that adapts as the horse becomes more capable.

In the early stages of developing Pillar One, it’s common to see a few predictable postural challenges.

One of the most frequent patterns is a posture that becomes low without being truly open at the poll. The neck may appear long, but the atlanto-occipital (AO) joint remains closed, and weight continues to tip toward the shoulders. In this scenario, the front legs often drift too far underneath the body, keeping the center of mass forward and sometimes causing the horse to fall behind the contact rather than seek it.

While a more developed hind end can allow a horse to go deeper without losing balance, that support isn’t always present early on. That’s why I tend to think of the earlier stages of Pillar One less as “down” and more as forward and out, or neck extension.

It's important to remember that Pillar One doesn’t exist in isolation. As the other pillars are developed, the body gains the ability to support a higher head and neck carriage without reverting to old compensation patterns. The postural expression of Pillar One naturally evolves as the horse’s capacity increases.

The intention is not to keep horses low or on the shoulders rather to meet the horse where they are today, organize posture appropriately, and allow the head and neck to rise organically as the body learns to carry it.

In upcoming posts, I’ll go deeper into why the AO joint plays such an important role in this process, including how it relates to the myodural bridge and the myofascial lines of the body. For now, the key takeaway is that Pillar One is developmental and designed to support upward progress not limit it.

**Pictured are three different horses demonstrating the pillar one that is appropriate for their current level of development.

04/02/2026

04/02/2026

Loving sneeking in some “work”
time with Commander at 6pm. It wasn’t long .. only about 20 mins

“Work” being

Me riding in the fluffy pad .. working on my balance, proprioception, self carriage, awareness, gravity/forces in response to movement

Asking Commander’s participation in the form of asking/signal with rein to bit and my body also creating a signal for him to attempt to walk with a better “form”. So in other words because I understand about spinal rotation/bend from head to tail I can assist him to try to walk/turn/a lateral with a better biomechanical function. I am not “making him” with a set of aids, or a vice grip on his head or body.

There are “suggestions” on the sides .. his corridor (lateral bend and axial rotation).

There are also suggestions in vertical balance control in a forward movement .. in other words
don’t lean on the bit,
don’t move your upperbody before you move your fore limbs,
I won’t hold you up,
you don’t need to hold me up.
Your poll is level, unless we are bending with rotation and it isn’t a compensation rotation at C2/3. I will help you with your wonkiness from the ability to talk to your spine via my own pelvis/spine
In hand and ridden therapy movement is so much more than a cookie cutter recipe. There is information going back and forth all the time.
When Commander is better balanced with a more effective for soundness posture .. I may ask him to walk faster (and see what happens) or transition to trot (and see what happens).
How did he do it ?
Is it something that happens all the time ..
did he need more support ?
Did I interfere with my hand, balance, intention signals ?
Is he still showing anxiety via the bit (or anywhere else ?
Can he feel me speaking to him via muscle contractions and direction of movement channeling ?

We can most definitely incorporate more mindful movement into warm ups or training, ground, ridden once you learn how.

Everyone has the capability
Get off that hamster wheel

😊

03/02/2026

Joined the big bad Yeti club 🙌

Awesome birthday present from Nikki …
I got my extra big girl cup 🤩

03/02/2026

Another beautiful testimonial ❤️ thankyou Carol