Companion Animals

Equine Back Pain: Diagnosis, Management and Welfare

Welfare guide for horse owners and vets on recognising and managing back pain in horses.

Key Facts

Back pain is common in performance horses and may be significantly underdiagnosed in leisure horses
Clinical signs include poor performance, reluctance to be groomed or saddled, gait abnormalities, and behaviour changes
Causes include muscle tension, kissing spine (overriding dorsal spinous processes), sacroiliac joint pain, and nerve compression
Kissing spine causes chronic pain and is a leading cause of poor performance and behaviour problems
Diagnosis requires clinical examination, radiography, bone scanning or ultrasound
Treatment options include physiotherapy, steroid injections, NSAID medication, and surgical interspinous ligament desmotomy
Saddle fit assessment is essential — ill-fitting saddles are a common cause of back pain
Regular physiotherapy and appropriate workload can prevent many cases of back pain

Welfare Significance

Back pain is a significant welfare issue in horses that is often missed or misattributed to training or behaviour problems. Horses with back pain may be labelled as difficult or lazy when they are actually suffering. A thorough diagnostic workup and multimodal treatment plan can restore comfort and return horses to comfortable work.

What You Can Do

Have saddle fit checked by a qualified saddle fitter at least annually
Seek veterinary assessment for any unexplained change in performance or behaviour
Incorporate regular physiotherapy or massage into your horse management routine
Consider referral to a specialist equine back clinic for complex cases