Kissing Spines - success/happy outcome?

Dizzco

Dizzco

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Hiya, I used to post on this forum a good while back, wasnt the most vocal of members so doubt I'd be remembered tbh and then I disappeared for several reasons. But now I have time on my hands again I can no longer locate my login details so have re-joined under a different name :D
Anyhooo Im just wondering who may have been involved with kissing spines in ridden/competition horses and have decided to go down the route of resolution by operation. I'll try and keep this as short as poss..! The bay in my sig is a horse I am insanely fond of and have had him since he was a wee baby, he's always been a dream in lots of ways and I thoroughly enjoy working with him but there has always been something not quite right, the pressure of upping his work from baby stuff to more grown up work - we're talking nothing more than Intro level competition standard here and working slightly above this at home - always proved too much and we'd start having major tantrums verging on the point of dangerous, I went down several different routes, turned him away, different tack, different approach to all aspects of his work, routine etc, has regular physio but also tried others for 2nd, 3rd..opinions, he had work ups at the vets, tried several different dentists kinda exhausted everything really! A horse I was dealing with in the summer of 2010 was diagnosed with kissing spines and had the operation, her symptoms were v similar but she was older and working at a higher level. Decided to get my boy in for a full body bone scan and showed up obvious 'hot areas' in the saddle region, the only part of his body that showed any significant potential for pain so we had xrays which confirmed some definite kissing going on, we injected the affected areas to see whether 'numbing' the pain would create any difference, it wasnt much but considering the length of time he may have been in pain it was enough of a difference to make my mind up for the operation, he was an 8yr old fit and healthy horse and even if it wasn't successful enough for him to ever be ridden again he is the most pleasant, friendliest character to have around Id happily have him as my pet for the rest of his days :)
The operation itself was successful, but he developed a myopthy in his right tricep, so the poor lad was very sore and it was a bit worrying for while. Luckily he made a full recovery from both so we were all pleased with the progress. The general rehab program after kissing spine surgery is to start lunging in a pessoa after the initial 2-3ish months of box rest, walking in hand etc. We completed the 6weeks lunging as advised and I was over the moon with the work he was producing. At this point the plan is to have another assessment with vet, possibly more xrays, then hop back on if all is well! To me it just all seems way too soon considering what the operation involves and the mare I mentioned above followed the programme as strictly as any but it has taken her till now to fully recover as she suffered further muscular issues so has cost the owner a further fortune in physio, vets, extra treatment etc. So I made the decision (for many reasons) to turn him away for 12 months and let nature do its own thing. He's now started back on the pessoa gradually working his fitness back up to where we were in Jan 2011 when we were lunging first time round. He looks soooo much better than he did back then, I am pleasantly surprised at the difference and really quite excited about the prospect of riding him again. I plan to get his assessment booked for possibly end of Feb and then if vet is happy my physio can start treating him again and then we'll see about ridden work. I think it all comes down to knowing your horse and using your own judgement/experience to make decisions like this. I just really hope its all gone the right way.
I just wondered what other experiences people have had, and how successful it has been after you've got back on board? In the bigger picture I want him to event again and theres very much a 'well theres no reason why not' attitude among the vets but realistically does this happen?? Id be more than super dooper chuffed to just be able to compete BD with him in the future :)
 
Yes had a horse that had it done- excess bone along 3 vertebrate was removed. He came back into work to win novice and elemen dressage, his score sheets where always straight 8's and 9's.
He won BN's in showjumping and did some intro level eventing but always had a hang up about the smallest of steps down. Sometimes he would jump a 4 ft drop down quite happily and other times refuse to point blank go down a one foot drop. There was never any consistency or rhyme or reason for it& so he was sold, there was a 4 page article on him in Horse mag the other month his new owner has lots of fun with him doing dressage and showing
 
I have mare that had a kissing spine operation in the July and i got her in the November when she was back under saddle. I do question if she needed the op or was the previous owner trying to find an answer to her quirky behaviour! 5 years on she is fine, jumps anything you put infront of her...that is what she has been born to do! She does buck now and again, she does leap around and play up but that is her, she still goes out and wins. She is out of Pouchka and i think that answers a lot of her 'issues'. I strongly believe that she would tell me if she was in pain at any point. I used to be a rep for vets and would talk to them about her and they never doubted post kissing spine horses. Good luck with him. My girl got operated on by a vet that has a huge success rate and has horses out competing at CCI*** level. Everyone is so negative about kissing spine but dont let it put you off...just listen to him, im sure he would tell you if it was too much.
P.s loads of long and low work helps my girl
 
The op was very successful in the previously unrideable horse I know. Happily doing dressage and jumping again 9 months later
 
My friends horse had the op in 2009, and last year (2011) was back eventing. He had evented up to Novice before, and in 2011 did more of this and was clear xc round his first CIC* and CCI* certainly he seems to be thriving on the work :)
 
Well I know one success story, who is back to normal now, not limited by surgery, and much saner (but still an ex racer who has the odd moments.)

I also knew a horse well who was really lovely natured on the ground, and ok some of the time ridden, but he really used to try and get people off, rearing, leaping bucking, throwing himself off the floor. He had kissing spines, not too severely, operated on, and no amount of reschooling, turning away or physio would break him of his habits. He had to be put down.

My cousin's sjing mare also recently diagnosed with one, she had 'moments' and when she had them was dangerous to ride. x rayed, and apparently the worse kissing spines the vet had seen, and not worth operating on, so she is a broodmare now.

Also know one in recovery now! he had some kissing spines nearer his withers, but also a damaged sacroiliac. He mainly had issues out hacking, but never worked properly in the school. I have my fingers crossed he'll come back to be a lovely dressage horse!

curiously, 3 of these horses were either pure TB or 3/4 TB, and the other was a dutch warmblood, but quite fine. I wonder if kissing spines is something found most commonly in TBs? Apparently kissing spines are often only found when a horse is asked to work properly, as in dressage or schooling or jumping, and on the race track they are often missed.
 
Oh great, that all sounds a lot more encouraging than I was expecting! :) thanks!
He has always been a joy to work with but it all seemed to start when I wanted him to up his standards and level of work a bit, he was always willing to try just couldn't quite hack it sometimes...same with his jumping, he's the boldest horse I've ever sat on and was awesome at times, especially xc but his style and technique were never very consistent and he could be quite difficult to ride between fences SJ. So far everything has been a positive improvement with him so at the moment it seems that there shouldn't be anything to stop him doing what he used to and more :)
Supercowpony - It does appear to be more common in the TB types or perhaps they're just that more sensitive and willing to let you know when theyre not very happy?! My boy is a 3/4 TB and the mare I mentioned is meant to be warmblood but looks more like an ID x elephant!! Fingers xd for the one that's in recovery!
 
My horse didn't buck or rear or anything, and was eventing at BE100 level, but developed an issue with step fences, so was getting 20 penalties on the XC. He was diagnosed with one spine rubbing, and had the operation, and was back eventing 9 months later. Aside from one stop on the Xc (not steps) since then, he has been clear every time out and placed most times. He has also won BSJA classes.
 
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