Overriding dorsal spinous processes (kissing spines) is a significant cause of ridden pain and poor performance in sport horses. Prevention through appropriate training and conformation selection reduces welfare burden.
Horses with kissing spines experience chronic back pain that is often interpreted as behavioral rather than medical, delaying diagnosis and prolonging suffering. Horses punished for resistance behaviors caused by pain endure both the physical pain and the additional stress of training responses that fail to address the underlying cause. The welfare case for early diagnostic investigation of any training reluctance is strong. Rehabilitation after treatment - focused on developing core strength through appropriate gymnasticizing - often produces horses that work comfortably and willingly, revealing the degree of previous discomfort.