Overriding dorsal spinous processes (kissing spines) is a common cause of back pain in horses that is increasingly well-diagnosed and treatable with appropriate welfare outcomes.
Back pain from kissing spines causes significant welfare harms that are often misattributed to behavioral problems rather than pain. A horse that bucks when asked to canter, pins its ears when the saddle is placed, or becomes resistant mid-ride may be communicating pain rather than disobedience. Behavioral correction of pain-related responses is both ineffective and welfare-compromising — it adds fear and punishment to the experience of an animal already in pain. Recognizing behavioral resistance as a potential pain signal is a welfare shift that protects both horse and rider.