EXPERT:
Michelle
Woolrich,
Cheshire
Equine
Therapy
Horse Health:
Kissing Spine
K
issing spines (KS) is a term we
hear discussed frequently, but
what does it actually mean? It
is also known as over-ridding
or impinging dorsal spinal processes
(ORDSP/IDSP). The horse spine is
made up of vertebrae. Each vertebra has
a vertebral body and head (the head of
one vertebra forms a joint with the body
of the adjacent vertebra), a foramen
(through which the spinal cord passes),
2 articular and 2 transverse processes,
and a dor sal process (DSP).
The cervical vertebra in the horses
neck have a larger bulk but with shorter
processes, and the early thoracic
vertebra have smaller bodies and
transverse processes but with very long
dorsal processes, which make up what
is commonly know as the withers.
In some horses, these dorsal spinal
process at certain points, particularly
in the thoracic region, can become over
crowded, they get too close together,
when a person sits on the back these
DSP's come even closer together and
when the horse executes particular
7 Cervical
18 Thoracic
movements, two (or more) vertebrae can
touch each other. This is bone rubbing
on bone which is extremely painful for
the horse and will obviously make them
want to stop what ever is causing it. This
is the reason some of the first signs of a
problem are a general change in the way
of going or performance, or the horse
not being able to do something it has
previously had no problems with. The
severity can vary from an occasional
slight contact to a permanent touching
of the process, which can cause new
bone growth and lead to the DPS's
fusing to each other with the new bone.
In severe cases 5-6 DSP's have been seen
fused together, and the most common
area to find KS is T11 – L2.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary greatly between
individuals and some horses can show
all the signs of KS, yet when the x-rays
are performed this proves to not be
the case, it can be something showing
similar symptoms such as severe
muscular issues, arthritic spinal joints,
6 Lumbar
5 Sacral
supra spinous ligament problems, etc.
However, this can also work the other
way around, some horses can show no/
few symptoms they go for x-rays as part
of a differential diagnosis investigation
for something vaguely related, and are
found to have it.
It is not something that can be
diagnosed by feel alone, x-ray or other
forms of imaging are essential for
diagnosis. Some symptoms that I have
found from my own personal experience
can include; not being able perform
a belly lift from one side or finding
it difficult or obviously painful (your
physical therapist or vet can show you
how if you want to try on your horse),
not being able to perform a hind end
tuck or finding it difficult or obviously
painful (again your physical therapist
or vet can show you how if you want
to try), difficulty stretching down to
work long and low, painful and reactive
long back muscles (you may notice this
when grooming them), unexplained
multi limb lameness and changes in
hoof shape, changes in behaviour or
15-21
Caudal/
Coccygeal
Fig 1 – Lumbar
Vertebra Anatomy.
The size and shape
of the vertebra and
the processes vary
depending on the
location.
38
Everything Horse Magazine • Issue 26• November 2015