Kissing Spines in Horses: Welfare Management

Key Welfare Considerations

• Kissing spines occur when adjacent vertebral spinous processes contact or overlap, causing pain and welfare impairment.
• Prevalence in ridden horses is high — radiographic studies find overriding processes in 39% of horses.
• Clinical welfare signs range from subtle performance issues to severe back pain and bucking behaviour.
• The presence of kissing spines on radiographs doesn't confirm pain welfare — clinical correlation is essential.
• Bone marrow edema on MRI better correlates with welfare pain than radiographic contact alone.
• Conservative welfare management includes corticosteroid injection, physiotherapy, and appropriate schooling.
• Mesotherapy (subcutaneous injection along the dorsal midline) provides welfare pain relief in some cases.
• Extracorporeal shock wave therapy shows welfare benefit for chronic back pain associated with kissing spines.
• Surgical desmotomy (cutting the supraspinous ligament) reduces intervertebral pressure for welfare.
• Minimally invasive surgical removal of spinous process bone achieves welfare pain resolution in refractory cases.
• Rehabilitation following surgery requires careful progression to prevent welfare re-injury.
• Saddle fit assessment is essential — poor saddle fit perpetuates welfare back pain.
• Core strength exercises improve welfare back function and reduce kissing spines symptom severity.
• Owner recognition of welfare back pain signs improves detection and treatment of kissing spines.
• Many horses with kissing spines managed appropriately return to full welfare working ability.