kissing spine

Behaviour.

Bunny hopping is a good clue, plus broncoing, girthiness, reluctance to track up, reluctance to go forwards, loads of tail swishing when asked to work. There are lots of possible signs but they can be signs of other problems too. Mine doesnt have KS but showed similar symptoms. She would also bunny hop in the field without a saddle. Mine has Sacroiliac problems but showed all symptoms of kissing spine.
 
I have a horse with kissing spines, he always bunched up (cold backed) when you first got on him, grumpy with the saddle & girth going on, struggled with advanced lateral work canter half pass was the worst for him. He has kissing spine right under the central part of the saddle area. I never tighten his girth once I am on him and I alway lunge him for 10 mins first then do up the girth to the normal holes and lunge for another 5 mins before I sit on him.
 
Diffculty to canter, bronking / bolting were mainly was seen in our lad but the decider was when the dentist came, when his teeth were rasped it obviously pushes the vertebrae together and Spike proceeded to kick 10 barrells out of his stable!!!
 
Has yours had any treatment for kissing spine? Mine has problem area in whithers I have not had her checked for KS - yet - and it could be something else but your symptoms sound similar
 
Mine bronced, couldn't stay united in canterand would stop randomly at fences. She never was girthy or cold backed though. She had KS all down her back, they were too lose to inject and would have cost a fortune to operate on all of them! She went into foal last year and had a lovely foal, with no trouble early this year
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I didn't go the surgery route as he then jumped off an 8ft wall and tore the ligaments in his hip it sort of ended his career at as a top level dressage horse and as I have always maintained his KS I felt it wasn't worth putting him through it. We are good friends with Svend Kold from Willersley so had I gone the surgery route he would certainly have done the op. You really need to get your horse x-rayed to confirm this because a lot of horses react this way from being very sensitive under saddle but don't have KS. Some horses suffer fractured withers from rearing in the field etc and flipping over backwards and you will be surprised how long this goes undetected for years, the horse learns to pull itself along instead of using its back end. Good luck
 
Hi my girl had KS and we went down the operation route. Svend Kold at Willersley did her last year. She has made a complete recovery and is back to jumping 2'3". She's still a bit like bambi at times with her back legs when flat working but she's improving every day. You do need to get it diagnosed as even if it isn't KS she is probably in a lot of pain. Sometimes a pallative route with a regular fittening regime is all that is needed, but the horse has to remain very fit and work in a correct outline.

Good luck and I hope any diagnosis is a positive one.
 
my mare showed none of these signs.....she just wouldnt carry herself and her canter went to pot...her canter was her best pace and she could collect beautifully
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