How saddle fit, training methods, and conditioning prevent overriding dorsal spinous processes in sport horses.
Kissing spines and associated back pain represent a significant welfare issue in sport horses that is frequently overlooked or attributed to behavioral problems rather than pain. Horses that resist girthing, tense their backs under saddle, or show reluctance to work are often labeled 'difficult' when their behavior is actually a pain communication that merits veterinary investigation. The preventive approach - appropriate saddle fitting, progressive conditioning, and pain-aware training - is both welfare-positive and likely to extend sport horses' productive careers. Treating behavioral manifestations of pain with force rather than investigating and addressing the underlying pain source is a welfare failure.