#Kissing spine in horses series#

Kissing Spine in Horses DiagnosisĪ variety of conditions can cause a horse to display signs of pain when ridden, but one common issue is the kissing spine. It may be challenging to diagnose kissing spine since many horses will only display one symptom while others may indicate more than one. This behavior is typical in horses with Cushing’s disease, but it can also indicate other conditions such as arthritis and laminitis. Kissing spine is a condition in which horses show signs of back pain by licking or chewing on the backs of their hind legs. It’s essential to get your horse an x-ray if you suspect he has a kissing spine because it could be life-threatening.

Other types of kissing spines include thoracic, lumbar, and sacral vertebrae. The most common type of kissing spine is the cervical vertebrae, located at the base of the neck. This type of injury will usually be found on the left side because most right-handed riders position their hands and legs for jumping maneuvers. Kissing spines in horses often occur when jumping or running over fences with obstacles like large or water jumps. When a horse flexes its back (bends it) during kissing, the pressure placed on these bones can cause damage to them. Intervertebral discs and ligaments connect these vertebrae.

#Kissing spine in horses series#

These injuries could be caused by jumping off something too high, being kicked by another horse, or any number of events that may cause harm to the back.Ī horse’s spine is made up of a series of small, individual bones called the vertebrae. This can happen due to various reasons, but it is usually because of an injury. Kissing spine is a term used to describe when two or more vertebrae in the backbone are touching each other.