Overriding dorsal spinous processes, commonly called kissing spines, is a significant cause of back pain in sport horses, with management and training approaches playing important preventive roles.
Kissing spines represent a significant source of chronic pain in sport horses that is frequently misattributed to training problems or temperament. The preventive role of correct training - developing back and core musculature that lifts the spine and creates space between processes - makes this a welfare issue amenable to training education. Early recognition of behavioral pain signals and prompt veterinary assessment prevents the chronic suffering that accumulates when the condition progresses unaddressed.