Overriding dorsal spinous processes, commonly called kissing spines, cause significant back pain in horses. Understanding this condition enables welfare-conscious management and treatment decisions.
Kissing spines represent a significant source of chronic pain in sport horses that frequently goes undetected because horses continue to work through discomfort. The behavioral manifestations of back pain are often misattributed to temperament or training problems rather than physical pain, delaying welfare-appropriate intervention. Treatment with appropriate post-treatment rehabilitation significantly improves welfare outcomes but requires owner commitment to the recovery timeline rather than rushing return to work. The welfare standard requires that horses showing behavioral indicators of back pain receive diagnostic investigation rather than increased training pressure to override pain-related resistance.