Kissing spine - does remedial shoeing help?

[opinionuk]

Has anybody had an experience of remedial shoeing helping with kissing spines?

If so what form of shoeing?

My mare still isn't working forward and seems to be dragging her toe and shortening her stride and I wondered if remedial shoeing may help as I'm already working on her topline and doing a lot of working long, low and forward.

 

[Potato!]

Yes In my experience.

I have been in contact with the owner of my old horse. He was diagnosed with kissing spines along half of his back and various other problems. He had remedial shoes put on him and had a saddle made for him i believe.

4 Months later he is back hunting again and loving life. She is keeping a very carefull eye on him just taking it step by step.

 

[opinionuk]

Hi,

Thanks for that, do you by any chance know what sort of remedial shoeing the horse had?

 

[sally2008]

Yes - correctly applied remedial shoeing can benefit greatly. A friends horse was diagnosed with borderline kissing spines due to a negative sole plane behind (where the pedal bones are at an incorrect angle) which was affecting the psoas (sp) major muscle and bringing the vertebrae too close. She is now shod by a specialist lameness farrier using Centre-fit shoes (Natural Balance) and graduated pads and is a happy horse in full work.

 

[debby1]

my vet recommended having a longer toe on the hind feet & keeping the front feet toes as short as possible, as i think this encourages the back to stretch out more, though get your vet and farrier to talk to each other

 

[foxy1]

Chances are if your horse is toe dragging his hind feet are already too long at the toe.

I would go to a farrier at the top of their game eg David Nicholl if you are considering this OP.