21/02/2026
𝗝𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝘀 > 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗠𝗝 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗹𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.
One of the most consistent compensatory patterns I assess in horses is the same-side relationship between the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) and the ilium.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗮𝘄, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.
The 𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘂𝗺 forms part of the pelvic component of the 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗰 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 (𝗦𝗜𝗝) > a structure that plays a critical role in force transfer from the hindlimbs through the lumbar spine and into the trunk.
If SI mobility is compromised, the relative motion of the hind legs, pelvis and lumbar region changes. Power, straightness and loading patterns all adapt.
𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘯
The 𝗧𝗠𝗝 sits at the top of a fascial and neurological system that influences the poll, cervical spine and thoracolumbar junction. Restrictions here alter tension patterns throughout the axial skeleton. Those patterns do not stop at the withers, they continue caudally into the pelvis.
So:
• Jaw restriction can contribute to pelvic dysfunction
• Iliac/SI restriction can reinforce jaw asymmetry
• 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 ‼️
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯.
It is also why a true 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 evaluation matters. If we focus only on the site of obvious pain or performance loss, we miss the driver behind it.
In practice, this is why I collaborate closely with farriers, dental professionals and veterinary colleagues.
𝘔𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴.
If your horse is showing performance changes, hind-end weakness, asymmetry, resistance in the contact, or recurring SI concerns, it may be time to look beyond the obvious area.
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗮𝘄.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯…
If the 𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘂𝗺 is so influential > and if its relationship with the 𝗧𝗠𝗝 is this significant, how thoroughly are we really assessing the 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻?
Because the SI joint is not just “the SI.”
● It is the articulation between sacrum and ilium.
● It is a load-transfer junction.
● It is a motion-dependent structure.
In the next post, I’ll break down why properly assessing the sacrum and ilium, rather than simply labelling “𝗦𝗜 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻” > can completely change outcomes.
𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 > 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙢
