Does a horse have a spine?

Is your horse’s spine kissing the spine?

Kissing the spine is a condition that involves two or more spinous processes (vertebrae). Flanges of bone that stick up from the spine end up being positioned so they touch or rub together causing back pain in some horses and not in others.

Should you euthanize a horse with kissing spine?

Very few horses with kissing spine require euthanasia, unless they have other underlying issues that cause ongoing pain. It is worth noting that some horses with kissing spine will also have limb lameness that may be directly or indirectly associated with their back pain.

What is spinal pain in horses?

When the spinous processes are touching one another, pain occurs. Typically, in horses the condition occurs within the thoracic area of the spine, and this is where the rider places pressure when sitting upon the back.

What are kissing spines in horses?

Kissing spines in horses is a condition that develops when the spinous processes of the vertebrae touch one another, rather than being spaced apart. There are a variety of symptoms associated with kissing spines in horses.

What causes spinous process fractures in horses?

Fractures of the spinous processes usually occur in the withers region as the result of the horse falling over backwards. However, other traumatic episodes, such as the horse getting stuck under a dividing rail between two compartments of a trailer or lorry (van), may result in fractures of more caudally located spinous processes.

What does it mean when a horse has two vertebrae overlapping?

This results in touching or overlapping of two or more of the bony projections at the top of each vertebrae (spinous processes). In some horses, this can cause consistent, low-grade pain, but many horses do not exhibit any clinical signs.

Can You Kiss Kissing Spine good-bye?

This blog post is part two of a series discussing equine spinal health, Spinal Crowding Syndrome and Kissing Spine. In this post, we will discuss specific riding exercises to improve spinal health and movement, and, in some cases, even kiss kissing spine good-bye!

How many coccygeal vertebrae do horses have?

Traumatic Injuries to the Coccygeal Vertebrae Horses have an average of 18 coccygeal vertebrae. Trauma to the more distal vertebrae may well go unnoticed. Coccygeal fractures generally occur as a result of the horse falling back onto the tail or backing into an immovable object.

Can a horse recover from kissing spines?

Recovery of Kissing Spines in Horses. The prognosis of kissing spines in horses is uncertain, as each horse is different and has varying degrees of this condition. When treated, and if the horse responds to treatment, then the prognosis is good.

What is a kissing spine?

In a normal horse, the spinous processes are spaced evenly, allowing a horse to both flex and extend his back. With kissing spines, the spinous processes are too close to each other or even touching.

How old do horses have to be to get kissing spines?

Horses are most commonly diagnosed around 5 to 10 years of age, but younger and older horses can develop it, too. Kissing spines typically occur in the last few thoracic vertebrae—right where a saddle and rider would sit along the horse’s back. Horses with kissing spines can demonstrate a variety of clinical signs.

Where does kissing spine occur in horses?

Typically, in horses the condition occurs within the thoracic area of the spine, and this is where the rider places pressure when sitting upon the back. In some cases, the section behind the area of the saddle may be affected. An evenly-spaced vertebrae is a healthy vertebrae column; kissing spines is otherwise.

When to know if your horse has kissing spines?

This condition, however, is not noticed until the horse is noticeably being negatively affected in his performing aptitude. Kissing spines in horses is a condition that develops when the spinous processes of the vertebrae touch one another, rather than being spaced apart.

What is “kissing spines?

“Kissing Spines is a condition where the dorsal spinous processes are too close together,” he explains simply. “These are the bones that make up the backbone of the horse directly underneath the saddle.”

Do kissing spines play a role in horse arthritis?

With the prevalence of Kissing Spines increasing, Dr. Allen is quick to caution both practitioners and horse owners to consider the role that arthritis could be playing in the back. “There are horses that have Kissing Spines, horses that have arthritis of the articular processes and horses that have both,” he says plainly.

How do you breed a horse with kissing spines?

If your mare is short backed, this may well be the reason for the kissing spines. Therefore, an ‘easy’ solution is to breed for a longer back in the foal, choosing a stallion with a longer back.

How do you stop a horse from kissing spine?

Similarly, if your mare is a TB, or another breed which is ‘prone’ to kissing spines, choosing a stallion from a breed where the condition is less common would be a good way to prevent the condition in the foal. It is thought racehorses are prone to kissing spine due to them working in an inverted outline/shape.

Why do dressage horses have kissing spines?

The thoughts behind dressage horses developing kissing spines is more linked to the unnatural twisting in the spine in lateral movements. These movements could be causing the kissing spine, although this is not proven.

What kind of back problems does a horse have?

Besides kissing spine lesions, other primary back problems include injuries to the ligaments of the back, including the supraspinous ligament and the dorsal sacroiliac ligaments. Horses may also have arthritis of the joints or “facets” of the spine.

How far apart are kissing spines on a horse?

Typically horses have about a five millimeter space between those bones; however, in Kissing Spines cases, that space is narrowed until those bones are close together, touching or overriding.

Why does my horse have a kissing spine?

The issue occurs when the spaces between the horses vertebrae (spine) reduce to a point where they touch (kiss) each other – hence ‘kissing spine’. The bony prominence around each vertebrae helps the horses spine flex and extend so when this is reduced a lack of mobility and pain can be seen.

What kind of fracture does a horse have when it falls?

A number of differing techniques have been described for this surgical management. Multiple fractures of the spinous processes of T4–T10 are sometimes seen in horses that have reared and fallen over backward. The summits and centers of ossification are fractured and displaced laterally.

What happens if a horse flips over backwards?

For example, a horse who pulls back in cross-ties, panics and flips over backward may strike his poll, sometimes with enough force to fracture his skull or the first few vertebrae of his neck. An event horse who doesn’t clear an obstacle and flips or plows headfirst into the ground may fracture vertebrae farther along the spine.