Possible 'Kissing Spine'

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WorriedAndStuck

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I want to protect my identity as i'm not feeling good right now and stick is the last thing i need. To start i bought a new horse, absolutely love him. he's a real gentleman. I started reading about something called 'kissing spine' and now i have big knots in my stomach as i'm worried sick.
he dislikes being girthed up, his tummy will twitch when the girth is done too tight and he breathes out quite a lot. i have not yet got a saddle for this horse yet, the saddler is due to come out on saturday. the thing that had be worried is that when i first put a lunge roller on him approx a week and a half ago (he hadn't been ridden or girthed for around 5 weeks) he spun and bronced in his stable. this has not happened since but since reading about "kissing spine" i'm worried sick as dislking of being girthed up is a common symptom.
he isn't fussed about the roller going on his back etc. another thing is he keeps his head quite high, with pessoa work it is starting to come lower in his outline but when he is sprung into trot his head perks up. i need to add he is an ex racehorse and hasn't had much schooling as he only came out a year or so ago so this could be a factor?
when i tried him out his head was held quite high but i felt no discomfort with him. he stands rock still whilst being mounted however when the stirrup hit his side he fliched so i think he may just be sensitive around his tummy area?
he isn't sensitive when being brushed on his back etc.

another thing is http://www.spinalvet.com.au/images/saddle_img3.jpg
he has very heavy pecs and shoulders but once again, muscle from racing?
ive seen people on here with experience of kissing spine so advice/comfort would be great.

i know i may sound like i'm blowing all of this out of proportion but i'm worried.
 
A lot of young horses will behave like that after not being girth up for 5 weeks so it would not worry me too much if he has been ok since and was fine when tried and in regular work.
The other issues would make me suspect ulcers, they are very common in ex racehorses and although not great would be much less of an issue than kissing spines. I would get a vet out to do a scope and take it from there, hopefully he is insured as treatment is fairly costly.
 
be positive - i was thinking of ulcers. however he is not yet insured (in the process) and isn't it around 150 for a scoping?

shysmum - i'm going to call the vet tomorrow and discuss with him before i start working him under saddle so if it is something serious we can nip it in the bud
 
another thing is he's not showing any typical symptoms such as dirrohea, poor condition, colic, poor condition, excessive saliva. the only symptom is being sensitive around his tummy but if it's one symptom its a warning sign. vet will be called tomorrow. very worried about how much this may cost though.
another thing is he became a bit nippy in the morning when he wants to be turned out, since i've not had him long i do not know if this is normal behaviour for him as he lived out previously and now he's turned out in the day whilst stabled at night.
 
If you think he might have a problem and call the vet, just be aware that you need to report this to your insurance company (even if you dont have the cover through yet). Most insurance companies will exclude conditions arising in the first 14 days of cover too.

When I got my new horse I was absolute petrified and had the insurance policy on standby to activate the minute he stepped foot in England (came over from Ireland). I recently had a horse diagnosed with KS and he had to have the op to remove the tops of 3 vertebrae. It was expensive (£2k for diagnostics, £2k for op).
 
Op I did a thread on similar symptoms just a few days ago except I was worrying re ulcers rather than KS. My ex racer is girthy too and I am thinking ulcers as I believe 90 per cent of ex racers have them. I'm trialing him on charcoal to see if it helps reduce the girthiness - if not I will look elsewhere to see what the issue could be If it helps I will get him scoped and treated.
Don't panic and assume the first, there are lots of reasons for girthiness :) x
 
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