Kissing Spines, a question....

[Coblover63]

Do horses develop KS or is it something that they are intrinsically born with? Could a horse in his teens (regular work, good rider-owner, varied exercise) suddenly develop it after years of no problems?

Thanks

 

[ycbm]

Both.

The surgeon who operated on mine says he sees them at three ages. Three or four when someone first tried to sit on them. Those are born with it. Seven or eight when work starts to cause a problem. Those are either born with it and it's got too sore, or something else has caused it. Twelve to thirteen, when age is catching up with them and I dressage horses where the work is getting too advanced for them to cope.

In a horse of fifteen I would expect it to be something else, but that could include arthritis in the vertebrae which would give the same problems.

Why do you think yours might have kissing spines?

 

[Coblover63]

It's not my horse, a friend is having recent problems with her 14yo steady-eddie and the vet said "I don't think is is KS yet", which made me wonder whether it is something that can develop.

The question was for me, rather than her as she is avoiding looking up KS at this stage....but it made me think.

Thank you for the info. Very useful.

 

[paddi22]

eas chatting to a vet who said kissing spine areas in race yearlings they X-ray quite regularly too,

interesting about the three ages theory, def makes sense