Horse Kissing Spine: Pain and Management

Kissing spine, where vertebral processes touch or overlap, is a significant cause of back pain in horses. Recognition, diagnosis, and appropriate management are key to reducing suffering.

Key Facts

Kissing spine (overriding or impinging dorsal spinous processes) is found in up to 39% of horses in some radiographic studies, though not all are symptomatic
Thoroughbreds, warmbloods, and sport horses are commonly affected
Signs include back stiffness, resistance to work, bucking, difficulty bending, and sensitivity to grooming
The condition is often underdiagnosed because back pain signs in horses are frequently misattributed to behavioral problems
Treatment options include conservative management, corticosteroid injections, shockwave therapy, and surgical interspinous ligament desmotomy
Saddle fit is a critical factor — poor-fitting saddles can cause or worsen kissing spine pain
Many horses return to work after appropriate treatment and saddle fit correction

Welfare Considerations

Kissing spine is a significant welfare issue in performance horses because pain is often chronic and may be masked by rider demands rather than addressed. Horses experiencing back pain may be labelled as difficult, naughty, or lazy, leading to escalating training pressure rather than veterinary assessment. This represents a compounded welfare harm: pain is untreated, and the horse receives punishment for pain-related behavior. Early recognition of subtle pain indicators — tension, ear pinning, reluctance to stand for mounting — is essential. Treatment success depends on accurate diagnosis, appropriate rehabilitation, and saddle fit correction. Owners and trainers play a critical role in either perpetuating or resolving suffering.

What You Can Do

Learn to recognize signs of back pain in horses: cold-back behavior, reluctance to be girthed, bucking, or stiffness
Ensure regular saddle fit assessments by qualified saddle fitters, as poor fit is a major contributing factor
Seek veterinary diagnosis before attributing back-related behaviors to training problems
Support your horse through prescribed rehabilitation, including physiotherapy and controlled exercise
Avoid putting horses back into full work before healing is confirmed following treatment
Advocate for welfare-conscious training approaches that treat behavior changes as potential pain signals
Ensure back pain is assessed as part of pre-purchase veterinary examinations