Our mare, kissing spines, and where the hell do I go from here?

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Cedars

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Hi guys,

Long story short cos you may have read my other posts - mare kept rearing, was getting worse, diagnosed with kissing spines, had operation on Monday, coming home this weekend. My best friend, guiding light and complete saviour is going to look after her during her box rest period with us, 6 weeks, but then after that, WHAT DO I DO?!

The vet says after 6 weeks she can start to be lunged etc, but she'll probably still rear.

PLEASE tell me all your experiences of kissing spines, learned behaviour, how they've healed, good and bad, whether they carry on the rearing etc etc etc.

Thanks in advance guys xxxxx
 
I am sorry I can't help, but try to think positive. She may associate the saddle/being ridden with pain but then again she may not and you may be able to bring her back to work as normal. I am sure there are people on here who ride post-kissing spines op without the problems they had before, so think positive!
 
Aww MrsM that just made me cry!! Thank you. If I'm honest, I would have had her put down =[ feel so awful for saying that, but my OH wanted her to have the op, and seeing as we're insured....can just see us being stuck with a psycho pony, that or we'll ruin her.

xxxxx
 
Booboos, the vet said sometimes they'll be fine, sometimes they'll be horrendous and you'll have to teach them not to rear and have to rewire all their behaviour.

Obviously I'm hoping its the first one, but I'm pretty convinced it'll be the second, shes that kind of horse =[

xxxxx
 
The vets are just being honest and trying for you not to build your hopes up
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, my vet wont tell me if one of my horses is going to come back into full work,( not due to ks though!!) i have however spoke to quite a few people who have had horses with ks and they have recovered fine!!, my mums old horse was a tb we did not even bother with putting her tthrough the op as she would not of even coped, fingers crossed for you she will be okay
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ellie_girl - thanks for your support. I know you're right about the vets - I'm just convinced she'll still be a psycho, she nearly killed my OH's mum by rearing up and over, if I'm honest I stopped loving her when she started being naughty....my god thats awful isn't it =[
 
I've read quite a lot of posts about this recently. I think there was one on Your Horse Forum. Horses posted about have made fantastic recoveries and been better than ever.
 
I had a lovely boy, who was always clearly in immense pain, had the most wonderful of temperments though, just put up with us on his back
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Turns out he had kissing spine in 7 places. He had his operation 4 weeks ago, and a friend has taken him on for us. He had his first roll the other day and is so happy not to be in pain anymore. He's turned out now though - he was so chilled though that we didn't confine him to his box anyway, he had a 'play pen' and was let out to graze while he was mucked out. He can be turned out at the end of this week. I truly think that he is going to be okay
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Ask your vet whether 6 weeks is really fully necessary?

On the other hand, my friend's RI had a horse who was always a nutcase and trying to kill everyone, turned out to have KS - she went for the op, and all the recuperation and it turns out the nastiness was just in his character and she had to have him put down.

Has your mare always behaved badly? If not, then she may well return to her normal self once the pain is gone
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my friends warmblood kept bucking her off - huuuugge bucks. she had her checked by liverpool and ended up having op to remove one verterbrae for kissing spines- she then developed an infection at liverpool and had to stay there for 3.5 weeks after the op. she came home and had another 6 weeks of box rest. she then started to try to lunge her (believe me you dont want to lunge this horse she tries to kill you- we invented a new sport horse skiing !!) - we long lined her on the lanes (took a few of us) - she then started walking her, at first my friend was scared as of cause all she could remember was the horse that used to chuck her off. After lots of encouragement she got more confident as the mare seemed better - we did a couple of fun rides making sure we went last so no-one could wind my friends horse up. we did do one and went mid morning some horses came galloping past and she plunged into a huge buck - my friend came off (tbh it was due to excitement as someone galloping by) . That did knock her confidence for a couple of months but again much encouragement and now she is well happy to do fun rides, she doesnt do jumping anymore but thats due to other things - she is now doing dressage and did her first affiliated competition a few weeks back. the horse hasnt bucked since that fun ride and my friend is very happy.
I know that it will take a while for both you and the horse to realise that its ok and doesnt hurt anymore. just try to be as positive as you can and she will be more confident. There may some time where she has remembered pain but i am sure this will wear off. - i know this isnt the same but i have had a disc removed from my spine and after the op i was obviously sore from the actual op but once it had healed i was always thinking need to protect back and sometimes i felt as though i still had pain. But after a while my brain realised there was no pain and i was fine.
 
I was concerned that my horse might be suffering from KS about a year ago, and did a bit of research on it. I seem to remember there are lots of really helpfully threads in the veterinary section.
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Good luck
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My heart goes out to you, what a difficult situation to be in.
Have you considered some horsey chiro/physio/osteo providing your vet knows and agrees?
Again kissing spines is not something I know much about.
Luv and hugs and try to stay positive
x
 
Please try to remember that your horse wasn't being naughty. You just thought she was at the time. In truth she was in a lot of pain and didn't have a way of letting you know that you were hurting her.

I wish you all the best with mending both her and your relationship!

Oh, and well done your OH for sticking by a horse that nearly killed his/her mum! Getting it investigated and treated is really responsible of you both.
 
A friends horse had the op, I think he was bucking and just not "quite right" before. The rehab is loong, and she sent him away for some of it as the walking out twice a day just got too much. However he's come back better than ever, and is doing fab. Very pleased for them
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Tickles - I know you're so right about her not being naughty - in fact, she was a sweetheart to have put up with as much as she did for as long as she did - just now my only memories of her are her rearing vertical in her box and coming down about 1cm away from my OHs head, rearing over and cracking her head open, along with all the biting and face pulling and stuff. Hopefully we'll have long time to rebuild memories, its just tough! Thanks for your support.

Ellie25 - haven't thought about trying any of that, and I think if we can't manage by ourselves we will have to try something like that. Problem is, cos the stupid first vet we saw didn't check for ks, we've already had her treated for stomach ulcers (to the tune of £3000......) and then this is going to cost a fortune and I'm just not sure our insurance will cover it, and we just can't afford to pay for it by ourselves =[ but I will definitely look in to it, thank you.

Puppy - thanks, I'll have a look!

Kezimac - thank you for sharing your friends story, tis so calming to hear that things do turn out ok for some people! Tbh I think getting back on her is going to be the hardest thing, first time nerves haha!

BooBW - the bad behaviour has definitely developed over time, she's always been a moody mare and always pulled faces but she's definitely got worse so fingers crossed its the pain talking and not her!

xxxxx
 
Please be careful, no horse is worth risking your life for, if you think there is a risk you would be better off pts or keeping as a field ornament if you have the facilities IMO
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just take the time, 1) to get to know her again 2) try and forget her bad behavior that will be in the past and remember she was in a lot of pain and I'm afraid until people have chronic pain their spine as she had and as I do(arthritis) they don't know what hell their animal has gone through. Remember the old saying 1 step forward 2 steps back and then after awhile it's forward steps all the way.
 
They are supposed to have a course of physiotherapy after the operation to build up the damaged muscle etc. Then you are supposed to lunge them for a few weeks gently and then work them in a pessoa to build up the topline again then you should start riding her gently as well as carrying on the lunging etc. Where are you based!

I have known a few horses who have had the KS op and not one of them has continued the same behaviour after the opeation, you need to stay positive.
 
So sorry to hear about your mare. She would have been in a lot of pain and the only way she could let you know is in her behaviour - if only they could talk.

With time and patience there is no reason why she won't behave in the future. If everything is taken slowly she'll realise there's no pain anymore.
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She deserves a chance and you will hopefully be pleasantly surprised.

((((hugs)))) for you and her
 
LauraWinter - you're definitely right about keeping safe. We now don't tack her up in her box, we walk her up to the yard, into the middle of the sand school and then do it! And will continue to do so until I ever feel safe around her again. She's never kicked out or anything, just biting, and its easier to get out the way of her rears when you're in a large school! My best friend and riding instructor is also an incredible resource and she's been amazing.

JohnRobert - I think maybe we need to spend some time just grooming and stuff, but atm I'm too scared to be in a box with her full stop! Hopefully lots of steps forward =]

Eoe - thats interesting, we've been told nothing about her having physio afterwards, jsut that we'd need to lunge her....will chase that up. We're based in Glos, vets are Willesley.

Tiffany - thank you for your support, am sure you're right, is just finding the courage (and accepting lack of sleep!!!!)

xxxxx
 
just think positive thoughts thats the main thing - even though you will be nervous which is inevitable just keep positive so she doesnt pick up any nerves from you. rescue remedy for both of you if ness!!!!!!!!
good luck and good vibes coming your way
 
My horse had surgery for KS, I had to walk him twice a day from the beginning, starting with 5 mins at a time and working up to about 45 minutes a time. That was supposed to be for 8 weeks then could start lunging. Had to turn him out in a small paddock after 6 weeks as the box rest got too much for him and he was getting a bit wild when walking.
Have a look in the Veterinary forum here as there is a lot of good advice from people who have been through the surgery.
Good luck and hopefully it will help her behaviour once she realises the pain is no longer there.
 
You need to speak to your vet, they should be refering you to a physio for the aftercare to build up her muscles and bring her back into work. Don't make any negative assumptions about her, treat her as if she's a new horse, she may well be! Give her some love and scratches. That's just what I'd add to the posts above. You are lucky, my mare wasn't a suitable candidate for the op, I had to retire her at 6 years old, after having her from a foal and starting her myself.
 
There is no quick fix to having a ned with KS but if you take time and work with her to start reinforcing that it will no longer hurt then there is no reason why she will not go on to make a good recovery.
There are lots of people on here to speak to whose horses have had the op, myself included. There are lots of great success stories so please just give her a chance first.
My horse broke my spine bucking me off and when I saw the x rays I can completely understand why he must have been in agony. Since his op he has never bucked with me again although he is one very sharp horse but I don't put that down to his op but his mind as he is a very smart boy.
johnrobert above is the best advice. I can't say it will all be plain sailing as Wills certainly hasn't been but you can always drop me a PM if you get problems and I can try to help you through. You may well be suprised as to how she reacts after she realises life doesn't hurt anymore.
I do know of a fab guy in Kent who specilaises in rebacking horses with issues.
Stay in touch.
 
Wilsley vets have a good rep so get back to them and get a proper post op care plan off them, then follow it. Physio/osteopaths are part of it.
It's the post op work that can make all the difference with KS as the horses need to build up their back muscles correcctly in order to be pain free.
Take your time and good luck.
Most insurance is per incident so you should have a fresh pot for the KS seperate to the claim for ulcers.
 
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