My Horse Has Kissing Spine! What Do I Do?

by | May 30, 2024

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Kissing spine sounds terrible and it can end your horse’s career by causing bucking or bolting under saddle which can be extremely dangerous to the rider.

You may ask is it a genetic defect? The answer is no. It is caused by the muscles being too tight along the topline of the horse from over compensations thus pulling the bones too close together which can fracture pieces off and also pinch nerves.

You ask what starts this? Every horse I have ever worked on— and this includes globally where I travel teaching— had one thing in common: both first ribs were misaligned, not allowing the shoulders to move freely and correctly.

The compensation of all this over-tightens the muscles pulling the bone, we have all had a muscle spasm deep in our back and you know how that can feel. I feel if we check our horses often from an early age all this can be prevented as we teach you how to release the first ribs in Level 1: Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding, thus preventing the compensating effect.

Have you ever had or know of someone with a compressed disc in the lumbar area or neck area? Do you realize just how painful all this can be when trying to do athletic work under a saddle and carrying a rider’s weight

What is Kissing Spine in Horses?

When the vertebrae’s bony parts, called the “spinous process,” are too close together, they rub against each other, causing friction and heat. This leads to calcium buildup, resulting in calcification that can almost fuse the vertebrae in some areas. The irritation a horse experiences from kissing spine would be similar to you having a back spasm or herniated disc! 

Symptoms of Kissing Spine

The symptoms of kissing spine can vary, but some common signs to watch for include:

  • Back pain
  • Bucking
  • Attitude when being saddled, ridden, or touching the horse’s back
  • Nipping at the hind end or butt rubbing
  • Unable to engage from the hind end
  • Unable to collect 
  • Heavy on the fore
  • Bunny hopping at the canter
  • Postural chances, most notably a “bump” on the spine

While only a veterinarian can provide an official diagnosis, you may notice these signs in your horse. Diagnosing kissing spine typically involves a clinical examination and imaging techniques like X-rays, ultrasound, or nerve blocks

But why Are These Vertebrae Rubbing Together?

To understand this, we need to look beyond the symptoms. Often, the root cause lies in the horse’s inability to move freely with its front legs and shoulders, often due to misalignment of one or both of the first ribs.

Over time, this restriction causes the horse to compensate by improperly using its lower back, pelvis, and hind limbs. This compensation tightens the psoas muscle, shortening the area around the lumbar spine and causing the vertebrae to rub together.

As the condition progresses, the pelvis can become unbalanced, restricting the movement of the sacrum. This imbalance can lead to symptoms like nipping at the hind end or rubbing it repeatedly. The horse’s body tries to compensate by tightening the hind-end muscles, leading to tension in the stifles, hocks, and lower leg tendons, which can cause additional issues like stiffness and soreness.

Managing Kissing Spine

What has worked very well for my clients is to get my basic bodywork protocol from either the hands-on class or my home study programand weekly make sure to check the 1st rib alignment.

Once this is staying in place and the shoulders can move freely then we add in my daily yoga for horses before and after riding. When done daily it can be as little as just 4 minutes a day. Many happy clients have reported back that new x-rays 3 months later the vet reported it showed no signs of kissing spine being present.

At Holistic Horseworks, we offer a holistic whole-body approach to horse care. By addressing the entire horse rather than just the affected area, our hands-on bodywork techniques have shown dramatic improvements in horses with kissing spine. These techniques include:

Join our hands-on horse bodywork clinics or online home study courses to learn these skills and more! You can help your horse alleviate pain to regain vitality, and dynamic performance, transforming them into a happy, healthy, and willing equine partner!

Remember, the best thing you can do is to try. The worst thing you can do is nothing!

Level 1: Equine Musculoskeletal Unwinding

Learn how to keep your horse happy, healthy, and rideable through their 30’s while saving thousands on vet bills! The reason why your horse is having so many problems is that most people you go to for advice— including vets, trainers, and many equine professionals— are only treating the symptoms, NOT the root of the issues. And that’s the way it’s been for years and years. But if “the good ole’ ways” just aren’t working anymore, now is the time to start looking at things in a whole new way.

Online Course
Hands-On Clinic

Level 2: Cranio Sacral Unwinding & Advanced APplied Kinesiology

Learn how to keep your horse happy, healthy, and rideable through their 30’s while saving thousands on vet bills! The reason why your horse is having so many problems is that most people you go to for advice— including vets, trainers, and many equine professionals— are only treating the symptoms, NOT the root of the issues. And that’s the way it’s been for years and years. But if “the good ole’ ways” just aren’t working anymore, now is the time to start looking at things in a whole new way.

Online Course
Hands-On Clinic

About the Author

April Love
Founder of Holistic Horseworks & Horse Healers Academy

Owner of Holistic Horseworks LLC, April Love empowers horse lovers to take healing into their own hands in order to keep their horses healthy, happy, and rideable through their 30’s while saving thousands of dollars on vet care. She has created a unique IICT (International Institute for Complementary Therapists) approved methodology that she teaches through in-person, hands-on clinics as well as virtual home study courses. April has also trained and vetted many instructors who share this practice worldwide.

As a gift to you, please enjoy a FREE copy of “Horse 101: Everything You Wish You Knew Before You Bought Your First Horse” www.horseacademy101.com 

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