Kissing Spines

[Ollybear]

My friend's dressage horse is at the vets today having an op on Kissing Spines, 3 to be precise. Whilst I am really pleased the vet has been so optimistic with her I am worried she may have been given false hope. He has said that, if, all goes well and she is a perfect patient, she could be being ridden again within the next 4 months, after walking out, etc etc.
Do some make a full recovery? Is this realistic?
She is such a good friend and the horse is lovely. Would really appreciate some sympathetic but honest advice/tips.

 

[Caritas]

There is a great chance that your friends horse will make a full recovery as MINE did? I was back on him after 12 weeks and he is now a year on working at medium level dressage, starting changes and piaffe. Please just tell her to do all exactly how the vet tells her, especially the 6 weeks in the pessoa without a day off. My horse doesnt have a minutes trouble and is going great, best of luck xx

 

[Happy Horse]

I have seen plenty of these ops and the majority have made a good recovery to competition work. It's a big op but after the initial recovery phase the outlook is good.

A friends horse had it done and went from being a bucking maniac to a lovely dressage horse in under 12 months - she knew he was feeling better when the first time he was turned out after the op he jumped straight out of the field!

 

[Ollybear]

Thanks that is reassuring.... will watch this space

 

[BethH]

Was back on mine 14 weeks after the op - tell her to take it slowly but surely and to listen well if the horse tells her it is struggling. Will take a while to get flexible again but if she is careful and sympathetic she should be just fine although she can expect a few backwards steps in between the forward ones! - by the way you can't even see the scar on my boy he healed so well, if the scar is healing well and vet says ok, tell her to try calendular oil on it once the stitches are out (so at least a couple of weeks to heal first!) you can buy it from Neal's Yard for £5.95 a bottle and it is very good for soft tissue healing and helping hair grow back. I also fed a handful of marigold leaves (calendular is marigold oil!) each day for a few months as again very good to help wounds heal inside too!

Best of luck I really hope the op is a success and she gets to enjoy her horse again, I am thrilled to be able to ride my boy again although he has taken a long time to build up muscles etc. It is a slow road but well worth it!