Young horse - Kissing spine

[Junebuggie]

Not sure if I’m looking for feedback, commiseration, or something else, but I find such good info on these forums I thought I would post about a situation I am in. In December I imported a lovely 3-year-old gelding who, by all metrics, seemed absolutely perfect for me, a dedicated AA, to bring along with my trainer. Full PPE and X-rays with nothing that jumped out for my sport sporthorse vet. He arrived and had time to settle down. He had four rides here, and on that 4th one I was on, he scooted, bucked, then completely checked out and bolted. I came off in a very bad fall that resulted in a 2 week hospital stay. Luckily no head or back injuries, but a badly broken arm and fractured pelvis.

While I was laid up, my trainer decided to take things slow getting back on him and was lunging him a couple of times a week when she began noticing that he seemed uncomfortable and would on occasion exhibit the same behavior as he did when I came off…checking out, giving pain faces, swishing his tail, and bolting. Very out of character for him, as he is a very chill and mellow guy; this is the main reason I bought him. Our vet came out, and after a full exam with X-rays, we saw that he has developed kissing spine in several processes. The changes from when his original X-rays were taken to now are pretty breathtaking. So much change in such a relatively short period of time :(. We decided to inject the facets and do mesotherapy to see if we could get him comfortable. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no change, and as of now, he is still seeming very uncomfortable when asked to work a bit on the lunge.

During this time, as I have been trying to sort things out, I had the realization that I am not going to be able to ride him, as I feel life is too short to have to push through the fear of getting on him after such a bad fall. I’m an older AA, and if I were 20 or 30 years younger, I might have the wherewithal, but now, the mere thought of it terrifies me. Of course this is all complicated now by his diagnosis. I think he could potentially be a surgery candidate or maybe be ok with intensive rehab. It’s been suggested that I send him to someone with fresh eyes who can evaluate and ride him, but unfortunately I do not have the resources to send him out for full training, and that also doesn’t feel right if he is still in pain. I’ve networked a bit to see if there is someone who might like to take him on and see if they can help him through rehab, but so far have had no takers, not a big surprise. I can hardly imagine sending him out to retirement at 4 (he turns 4 tomorrow) and carrying that cost for 20+ years, but euthanasia seems like a terrible option as well.

I just feel absolutely stuck. At the moment he’s just hanging out being a very good boy, and I’m enjoying grooming him and spending time. As my barn does have a lesson requirement, I know he is on borrowed time there. I’m not yet feeling strong enough to do groundwork with him, and honestly, I am trying hard to not get too attached. I’m back on my older mare, who I feel completely safe on, but that in itself has been a mental push, which further clarifies my decision. Anyway, this is long enough. Thoughts are welcome, but please be kind.

[anonevent]

I’m not a vet, but I think I’d find a spot where he can stay without the lesson requirement. Ideally with full turnout, and repeat the radiographs in another 6-months to compare against the December 2024 and your recent images.

If the condition has continued at the same pace, I think you’ll have your answer, unfortunately. If not, and it seems stable or slowly progressing, you’ll have more options.

[blue_heron]

Wow, so sorry this has happened! It is totally appropriate to be grieving and not know what to do. I assume you have asked both your vet and your trainer what they think you should do?

Honestly, 3 is still very young when starting young horses. I know most people consider it normal but they are nowhere near physically or mentally developed at 3 or even 4. If he were mine, I might send him to somewhere to field board for cheapish for a year to grow up and be a horse doing normal horse stuff instead of working. His body will change a lot in the next year and you will be less attached if you don’t see him every day. It also gives you plenty of time to think about what you might want to do or find someone who may want him. Then in a year, you can get images done again and your vet can advise if he is still a surgery candidate or if the prognosis is still poor, you can make the difficult decision.

Were you these when his original imaging was done in Europe? Was he sold as safe and sound? Have you contacted the seller to let them know this happened? Three months is a very short amount of time for this to have happened. They do change so much between 3 and 5 but this seems a little extreme…

[Critter]

@Junebuggie

The changes from when his original X-rays were taken to now are pretty breathtaking. So much change in such a relatively short period of time :(.

Are you certain that the original xrays are of the same horse? Wouldn’t be the first time an imported horse had “clean xrays” before he arrived and not clean xrays after.

My first horse I imported (through a trainer who knew the sales barn very well) arrived with a healed bowed tendon. Funny how if was never documented on the PPE we paid for. Trainer knew all about it too.

If the xrays are that different, I would wonder if those xrays are actually ones of your horse’s back.

[Demerara_Stables]

I’m curious how he got kissing spine in such a short amount of time. How is he being worked? Is he longed in side reins or anything attached to his head other than the longe line? I don’t know much about the heritability of kissing spine, but I have seen multiple horses in one program develop it after being ridden/worked incorrectly for a long period of time.

[millerra]

This really sucks for you. I don’t have any magical advice either. I do have 3 KS horses; one fully retired and 2 in work. The retired one has very bad X-rays and the owner who had the KS diagnosed (due to bad behavior) decided surgery was not worth it.

I also would be suspicious (sorry) that the original Xrays were not his. My vet told me that they find KS in young TBs who haven’t even been ridden yet so clearly it can develop without it being caused by riding or having been in work. There is likely a developmental/inherited component.

If he were mine, I would give him time off out in a pasture. Then I’d x-ray again and put him into a ground work program w/ lunging and belly bands. I’d probably be ground driving and working hills w/ him. I’d ask a vet who is an expert in this kind of rehab for help and/or a program (I’m not an expert at all). And then I’d re-xray. If things look the same, then I’d consider retirement or surgery. If things look like they are improving or his attitude becomes happy again, then I’d maybe try having him ridden but w/ a very slow program built on building strength and topline. Any sign of pain or discomfort, I’d stop and reassess. I believe horses with nerve/back pain can get very sharp pains and react explosively, which makes them unsafe for many of us AAs.

Your safety comes first. I am sorry because this is truly one of the things in horses that sucks…

[GraceLikeRain]

Breathtaking X Ray changes smells more like an X Ray swap than radical bony change in a three year old. I’m so sorry you’re in this position. I know two people who imported from very very big names with clean backs that suddenly had huge issues and completely shocking back x rays months after arrival where the vets around them felt quite confident they never saw the true original radiographs but pursuing an international lawsuit wasn’t tenable.

[Obsidian_Fire]

Came here to say the same thing… are you sure the rads you saw are the of this horse? Because that just doesn’t make sense. I do know somebody (years back) that this happened to.
I am so sorry for what you’re going through.
FWIW, I have used mesotherapy with steroid injections AND Osphos, all the same day. Beyond that, other than developing the musculature correctly I have no answers.

[beowulf]

@GraceLikeRain

Breathtaking X Ray changes smells more like an X Ray swap than radical bony change in a three year old. I’m so sorry you’re in this position.

Ditto, with a fat but – sometimes even slightly changing the angle will radically change the visibility and shadowing in a radiograph. I’d want to see the before, lined up next to the after. It’s possible that it’s there in the original, but not visible. Also, Euro Vets tend to be more casual about KS findings than American vets.

OP. Life is too short. We all live on borrowed time, and our riding time is even shorter. Your safety and comfort come first; and if your heart isn’t fluttering in the good way each time you see him, it’s time to move him along. Have you discussed this with your trainer? They may be able to network him for you.

I agree with others that the best thing for a KS horse is as much turnout as possible. At 3, his spine is still growing and will change: who knows; sometimes the spaces narrow, sometimes they go wider, but any remodeling seen on X-ray would be there to stay.

24/7 turnout is imperative (imo) for KS horses. The best you can do is get him out of the stall while you figure out how to manage his diagnosis. I own a KS horse and manage several. Sometimes it takes multiple mesotherapy and injections to break the pain cycle before you see a positive difference.

My unscientific anecdata with a small sample pool: those Euro farriers are a big change from American ones; sometimes this transition also makes a horse hurt. KS horses are especially sensitive to shoeing changes. It could be your poor boy is dealing with a lot of adjustments all at once and it’s overwhelming his body. KS horses are like precariously balanced apple carts; they don’t tend to deal with change well. Sometimes it’s truly a carefully managed balancing act keeping all components comfortable (feet, body/spine, saddle fit, teeth, etc).

One last thing - is he being worked in a saddle during these outbursts? Make sure that thing actually fits.

I’m really sorry for your situation, OP.

[anonevent]

Solid point about the farrier change!

[dotneko]

Darn, that is tough. Is he insured? Loss of use? You may be able to recover some value without putting him down. That being said, I would give it six months and re xray.

[Junebuggie]

Thank you. I am seriously considering just turning him out while I figure things out, but good situations are hard to find here in northern NE. I was not there and bought him sight unseen after lots of videos and conversations with the seller. And I should probably clarify, x-rays were done in September when he was put on the market. I chose not to do another set during the pre-purchase, as I, my vet, and trainer thought that there would not be significant changes in 3 months. Hindsight is definitely 20/20 on that one.

[Junebuggie]

He was sold as a safe, sound, and perfect match for an AA to bring along. I have contacted the seller…and um, even after seeing the xrays she basically thinks he is fine and just needs to be ridden. I do think they see things differently in Europe.

[Junebuggie]

Although I can’t be a 100% certain I do think the X-rays are of the same horse. The seller is very well known and sends many horses to the US every year. I checked with some of the folks who have imported from her, and they only had good things to say about her honesty and transparency.

[Junebuggie]

I am curious too; it just seems crazy. He was brought along in a dressage program and while he is young, I do believe he was correctly ridden and lunged. But maybe too much too soon?

[blue_heron]

WTF?? Who is this? Sorry but I do not assume that just because someone sells a lot of horses to the US that they would not pull a fast one on you.

[Junebuggie]

I truly hope this is not the case. This person was incredibly open during the whole process and did seem genuinely upset when I let her know how things were going and what had happened but again, it seems the European perspective on kissing spine is very different.

[Junebuggie]

I really don’t feel comfortable naming names here but am happy to share through PM if you like.

[blue_heron]

Yes, please PM me

[Junebuggie]

Yes he is insured, but not for loss of use. Although I know…horses…I never in a million years thought this would be our story right out of the gate.