Post Kissing Spine operation.

TicTac

TicTac

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 April 2008
Messages
3,109
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
For those of you who's horses have had the op and are back to ' normal ' again, what, if any problems did you encounter with the re-hab?

My mare is 3 weeks post op and I have to say is amazing me. She is just recovering from an infection in the wound and is still on box rest but she goes out into a tiny strip of grass 2 x a day while I muck out. She rolls right over and moves around quite happily. She stretches round to get an itch and she is only slightly sensitive to me cleaning up the discharge from her wound. ie dips her back slightly, but doesn't pull faces or go to bite etc and she doesn't mind having a loose rug on.

I appreciate that she has a long road to full recovery yet but was wondering, what if any problems did your horse exhibit during the initial lunging or ridden work? ie reluctance to go forward, unhappy with roller or saddle etc, anything really.

I have noticed that allready my mare is much happier in herself. She travelled back from the vets like a dream. Didn't move an inch as she usually leans heavily on her bottom. So for the time being it seems that my decision to put her through the op was the right one. Lets hope that this time next year we are out competing again.
 
My horse is two weeks post op - maybe we should compare notes as we go along!

He is on box rest for 6 weeks but doing walking exercise twice daily, about 40 minutes in total already. He's doing amazingly well and seems very comfortable, is fully mobile - to be honest you wouldn't know there was anything wrong. Luckily he's healed up well, no infections but is still swollen on his back where the op was...

No problems so far :)
 
Good idea bluehorse. Where did your horse have his op? My horse has another 1 1/2 weeks of box rest before she can go out into a small paddock. Then a month after that full turnout and physio starts.

My mare had 4 pieces of bone removed so quite alot.
 
He had his op at Willesley - what about yours? Sounds like you may be on a different recovery programme to me. We are doing box rest and walking exercise for 6 weeks, as much as I can do with him as long as he seems happy (I'd murder for a horsewalker!!). Got to take him back for a check up at 6 weeks then all being well, he can have restricted turnout building up to normal hours out, and he can being a lungeing programme. I don't have details of that yet but it will be working him in a pessoa I think. At 3 months I will hopefully be getting back on!

Having never put a horse through surgery before I can honestly say i was worried sick beforehand, but his recovery has been amazing really...I'm very optimistic about it all now :)
 
Bluehorse, my rehab programme is different. 4 weeks box rest and then 4 weeks restricted turnout, full turnout after that and lunging in a pessoa starts at 3 months post op. ( Check up 10 weeks post op)

I have read up about the Willesley rehab and I have spoken to two vets from different practices and a physio who have all said that there is no evidence to show that one programme has any better results than another. I am happy about this as my mare will need time to forget about op and I will probably take longer on the lunging. I am not in any hurry to ride her and will see how she is once fittening work begins.

I too was very concerned about the whole procedure but am pleased that I have a happier horse, mentally for the time being. The bonus will be a horse that I've always thought she should be under saddle.

How many vertabrae did your horse have removed?
 
He also had 4 removed. Willesley are my regular practice so just coincidence for me that they have a reputation for this particular op and I didn't really consider looking into it with any other vets. I have heard that the Willesley regime works the horse quite hard, particularly when you start lungeing - at the moment though it's me that's working hard doing all the in hand walking!

I would be really interested to hear how your girl progresses especially when we both get a bit further down the line and are back in the saddle!

What symptoms did she show? My boy was just extremely resistant to any attempt to work in an outline but seemed perfectly happy if left alone to lump along like a giraffe! No extreme behaviour though and certainly seemed rideable, just very evasive...
 
Yes, reluctance to go forward intially in ridden work and bucking post op, 'crabbyness' into trot, but gradually it all disappeared once the pain was forgotten. Lots of stretchy work on lunge in pessoa and ridden, hacking and fun activities all help too! My horse is now 4 1/2 years post op, he's everything I've ever wanted and more! :)
 
P.s. how old are your horses? Mine was just being broken as symptoms manifested, and rising 4 at the time of the op. He was owned by a very good friend at the time, and I rode him post op and bought him soon after.
 
What symptoms did she show? My boy was just extremely resistant to any attempt to work in an outline but seemed perfectly happy if left alone to lump along like a giraffe! No extreme behaviour though and certainly seemed rideable, just very evasive...[/QUOTE]


The same! I thought she was a missy cow as she was so grumpy with it, however I now appreciate that she actually is a very genuine mare as despite the grumpiness she always tried her best.
 
My boy is just 6. I bought him 18 months ago and he was quite challenging initially, my trainer and I both put it down to him just testing me out and generally taking the pee (being a big bolshy youngster basically), I found excuses for him for quite a long time (not enough turnout, my rubbish riding etc etc), only this summer I ran out of excuses and had a bit of a lightlbulb moment when I realised that it might not be me, he may actually have a problem! Soooo glad I got him checked out.

My vet has advised that I may experience more of the same issues when bringing him back into work, as he is a youngster he has probably always felt a degree of pain since being backed (he was already broken when I bought him), so he may have some learned behaviours to get over...
 
Definately agree there could be some learned behaviours to get over in both of your horses, and even in mine being having only just been backed it took him sometime to 'forget'. It can be a worry all the time thinking 'is he ok?' for what you would take in a normal horse as naughtiness, you worry they are uncomfortable - but in my experience its best to just get on and ride them (obvisouly gently progressing etc etc) and it will all come in time. Best of luck to the both of you :)
 
bluehorse said:
My boy is just 6. I bought him 18 months ago and he was quite challenging initially, my trainer and I both put it down to him just testing me out and generally taking the pee (being a big bolshy youngster basically), I found excuses for him for quite a long time (not enough turnout, my rubbish riding etc etc), only this summer I ran out of excuses and had a bit of a lightlbulb moment when I realised that it might not be me, he may actually have a problem! Soooo glad I got him checked out.

My vet has advised that I may experience more of the same issues when bringing him back into work, as he is a youngster he has probably always felt a degree of pain since being backed (he was already broken when I bought him), so he may have some learned behaviours to get over...
Click to expand...

You sound like you've had the same 18 months i have! my horse had been challenging since i bought him and at 17hh and a pure bred irish draught he just seemed to try and dominate me all the time being resistant to the contact, bucking to get out going forwards he would do hand stands when you asked for leg yield! Like you my instructor thought my horse was just being a bolshy youngster (whos also 6) he use to buck on a figure of 8 or when i was changing rein and i was sure it was to do with my position and body weight etc. It wasnt till he started constantly bucking in canter that i decided to take him to he vets and hey presto he had kissing spine! he only needs 1 process removing but the cortazone injections didnt last long at all his back actually seems worse now you can see where the kissing spine is in his back and he doesnt like it when you touch it. Hes going to the vets on friday to see about having the operation as i feel at his age its the best option for him.

In your horses did you find a big problem with being stiff behind. he almost walks with his legs straight and kind of slides on his shoes i have had his hocks xrayed and they are totally clean but its almost as if he tries to not move his back when he walks.
 
The main problem with my mare was a general reluctance to go forward coupled with any real softness. She could not bend underneath you and she didn't like lateral movements. There were times that I rode her after a break when she was fabulous and I felt the horse she could be. but the more work the stiffer she would get. She has a massive over track in walk and a powerfull engine so it would be nice if the trot and the canter improve. She will have to learn to use her self properly and feel confident going forward and I am hopefull that I will have a very good horse once she is fit again.

My mare would buck continuosly on the lunge to the point of no return sometimes but was always very generous when I was riding. She would put in the odd buck under saddle but her ears were more of a barometre than anything and her general grumpiness. It really was the 'odd gait' she developed as compensation, that finally alerted me to a back problem.

She ( and I) are now fed up on box rest with walkies and I am hoping that the vet will give me the ok for small paddock turnout at the weekend. Fingers crossed.
 
TicTac said:
The main problem with my mare was a general reluctance to go forward coupled with any real softness. She could not bend underneath you and she didn't like lateral movements. There were times that I rode her after a break when she was fabulous and I felt the horse she could be. but the more work the stiffer she would get. She has a massive over track in walk and a powerfull engine so it would be nice if the trot and the canter improve. She will have to learn to use her self properly and feel confident going forward and I am hopefull that I will have a very good horse once she is fit again.

My mare would buck continuosly on the lunge to the point of no return sometimes but was always very generous when I was riding. She would put in the odd buck under saddle but her ears were more of a barometre than anything and her general grumpiness. It really was the 'odd gait' she developed as compensation, that finally alerted me to a back problem.

She ( and I) are now fed up on box rest with walkies and I am hoping that the vet will give me the ok for small paddock turnout at the weekend. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

That sounds all to familiar to me! my horse is having the op on tues i feel quite stressed about it already! iv never has a horse operated on before but at his age and i have tried the other options first i feel like only surgery will cure this problem. Fingers crossed it will all go to plan
 
Katy - I'm sure you know how long it takes to get to know a new horse, and when they are young and big I don't think anybody is very inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, myself included. It just hit me one day, I was trying so hard with him and he was just getting harder to ride really (what TicTac said in terms of how he was going) - I suddenly realised one evening that if I saw anybody riding a horse that was going the way he was, I would think there was a problem straight away. I'm no Mary King but I am perfectly capable of getting a young horse to work in a simple and consistant manner - and that was all I was asking.

Good luck with the op, I'm sure it will go well :) I've never put a horse through surgery either and it's a huge decision but it's all in a day's work for your vet. On the day of the op i felt so sick, and when I got the call to say he was up I had to hide in the loo at work and have a cry! I'm not back on yet so I can't comment on the end result, but in terms of recovery, I think TicTac would agree that it's amazing how well they do, and I think I've given my boy the best chance for the future. Let us know how it goes!

TicTac - I'm pretty damn sick of walkies too...just over 2 more weeks for us! He's obviously feeling better as he's getting very cheeky and has invented quite a few 'games' to play whilst walking along :) Good luck at the vets, I'd be really interested to hear an update...
 
Last edited:
[TicTac - I'm pretty damn sick of walkies too...just over 2 more weeks for us! He's obviously feeling better as he's getting very cheeky and has invented quite a few 'games' to play whilst walking along :) Good luck at the vets, I'd be really interested to hear an update...[/QUOTE]

Bluehorse, my mare is out in a paddock now all be it the size of a large stable. She did a few ' airs above the ground ' but soon settled and happily munched grass. She looks so well it's hard to believe that just under 5 weeks ago she had a major op. Obvioulsy she has lost muscle tone as she hasn't had the walking programe of your boy, but I'm following my vets advice and he said she can go out.

She will have 4 weeks of small paddock turnout and then back into her normal paddock. I can then start physio with her and start lunging 4 weeks after that. I am not really looking to be back on my horse untill the early spring. This is purely my deciscion and will give her the winter in the field with her normal routine ( in at night) It will be difficult for me to lunge her consistently due to lack of light's in the menage, time, daylight hours etc

I can allready see that my horse is much happier in herself and obviously free from pain. She will stretch out her hind legs now when I pick her feet out where as before she used to clamp them up tight. Her wound has almost completely healed up as well and I have just one more jab to give her. ( We have battled with this infection caused by an allergic reaction to the internal sutures)

It is still early days, but have to say that so far my mare has been a model patient. Confining a horse for long periods is stressfull for the owner let alone the horse but despite my initial reservations I am totally convinced that the op was the right thing for my shiny black horse. :-)

BTW Bluehorse. did your horse have the op under general or heavy sedation and standing?
 
Last edited:
He had the op under general. What did yours have? I didn't know they could have it standing. The vet told me that when they were doing the op they had to put him under very deeply, much deeper than they would usually, as his muscles were twitching so much. He said its quite normal for some twitching when they are working on sensitive bits or very painful areas, but apparently his twitching was quite extreme - sounds pretty grim to me but makes me wonder just how sore his back has been. Sadly they can't tell us that...

Bless your mare for her 'airs' - she must have been one happy girly!

Can't wait to turn mine out, have to come to some arrangement with YO though as we don't have any suitable paddocks for restricted turnmout. She's very obliging though so I'm sure we can come up with something. TBH I think he'd be fine to turnout now in a very tiny paddock, but I just do what the vet tells me!

Is your girls back still swollen where the op was? Mine boy is still quite lumpy although it's getting smaller all the time, just not sure what is normal....
 
My cob has just been diagnosed with a Kissing spine but when the vet numbed the area and I rode my cob again, she was just as bad, if not worse, being reluctant to go forward, hardly bending her hinds etc.

Does KS only become apparent when being ridden? As watching my mare trot round the field on her own she looks perfectly sound.
 
Bluehorse:- my mare had the op standing ( in stocks). She was heavily sedated and they anaesthetised her back. She has no swelling along her back and never really did. Obviously when you run your fingers along her spine it is lumpy but that is because there are bits missing rather than extra bits if you see what I mean.

She is fine to have a rug on, does not dip or show discomfort when you press ( gently) along the wound site and almost all the hair has grown back now. There is still a slight discharge from the front of the incision but as I said, that has nearly all cleared up.

I have a very good YO. We have lots of 'spare' areas that have plenty of lovely long grass which he has allowd me to fence off and use. He said he didn't really want me to mess up the paddock but said that the other areas will have all winter to recover.

It is definitely a day by day management keeping a horse on box rest/confined turnout. She was that keen for the grass this morning that she didn't bother with her breakfast. I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Got the farrier on thursday so that will be another test.

Madhossy:- more often than not KS is a problem that shows up under saddle as a loss of performance/reluctance to work. One person I met said his horse wouldn't lift his head up and was only happy to be ridden with his head on the ground ( not good when you want to have a canter lol) His horse is fine now after the op to remove 2 vertabrae in his case. Get your vet to xray your horses back . You will then know for sure.


Keep me posted re your horses, this is very interesting :-)
 
Madhossy - my boy was fine at all times apart from the resistance in the school. Perfectly happy in the field or out hacking - it was only his resistance when schooling that made me get him checked out.

When the vet was making his initial diagnosis, he anaesthetised his back - and I did feel a noteable difference at that point when I rode. His back felt much looser and when he dropped his head (I was asking him to walk long and low), I felt his back rise which I have never felt before...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top