experiences of kissing spine please

[buddly]

hi
my horse has previously had back trouble and is the shape that would be prone to kissing spine some may know he had an op to remove a bone chip in his elbow 2yrs ago so only started back competing this year he went round westwilts into but then started stopping at fences at home which is very unlike him n i put down to me not being as confident as i was before his op but then he stopped at highclere first fence on x country which is unheard of for him i came home n had his back done which was out so thought ok.. carried on, jumped him tues seemed ok then again just suddenly stopped at a very small fence so had back done again today she thinks poss could be kissing spine or arthritis i just wandered what peoples experience of this was does this sound like it could be a possability?? back lady advised to put on bute for a week see how he is if better then get the vets out to investigate if no improvement thinks prob trapped nerve..
sorry it's long any experience opinions please it is just not him!!!
thanks

 

[kerilli]

i had a horse with kissing spines, diagnosed by x-ray. he had always had a hell of a buck though, the kind that isn't just a fun flip in the air, but more serious... in hindsight, a symptom of back pain. i think it's fairly typical of horses with kissing spines to buck, and if he doesn't, it wouldn't be the first thing i'd think of.
a horse who has previously not stopped, suddenly being reluctant to jump, to me, sounds as if he's anticipating pain on landing. it's an early symptom of tendon/lower foreleg trouble maybe, in my book. could be nothing like that though, obviously.

 

[Bert&Maud]

I've had two horses with KS. the first used to buck like a bronco when you first got on him, literally as you lowered yourself into the saddle. His KS was mid back, just under your seat bones which is why he reacted to violently when you got on him. After he had taken 2 or 3 steps he was fine, and never bucked at any other time. My current horse has KS just behind his whither. He is fine to mount, a lightweight rider doesn't seem to cause him any problem. However he can no longer be used for dressage because the condition affects his shoulder and he finds circles, especially at canter, very difficult, he curls around the inside leg, swishing his tail and chewing the bit. He has never bucked in all the time I've had him. So you will see that the condition shows in different ways. With my current horse I had several weeks of physio etc before I called the vet, but with the benefit of hindsight I wish I'd got the vet straight away. Apart from anything else the physio was a waste of time and money while they didn't know what condition they were treating, they told me to carry on working him when I know now that he must have been uncomfortable. I no longer jump him, because I'm sure that he would find landing painful, because as he raises his head it makes the vertebrae even closer together. for this reason he also fnds going down steep hills quite difficult.

 

[buddly]

mmm thats quite interesting because mine finds down hill difficult.. and if he has it it would be just below wither too.
thanks for that i think i will invole vet if he is no better next week x

 

[H's mum]

Usually horses with KS are very explosive in their responses - normally bucking fits - and explosive naps/fly-bucking episodes - I've owned a horse which had KS he was successfully operated on and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend an operation if that were your horse's problem - but tbh without xrays/MRI scan you'll not be able to confirm KS - stopping whilst competing can be put down to anything, from sore feet to gastric ulcers - it's not forced to be his back - If I were you I'd get a vet to give him the once over - better safe than sorry!
Kate x