Madeline Fasse - 2024 Clovis Horsemanship Award Essay
Clovis Horsemanship Award: Kissing Spine & Spondylosis
by Madeline Fasse
My horse Filia is challenged with Kissing spine and Spondylosis. It has affected her in many ways and how we have to care for her. Kissing spine, also known as Overriding Dorsal Spinous Processes (ORDSP). This occurs when two or more bony projections at the top of the vertebrae (dorsal spinous processes) touch or overlap. Some horses with mild kissing spine show no signs of pain but others will show lameness, behavior changes, bucking. Vets will diagnose Kissing spine with x-rays or an MRI. Filias Kissing spine has progressed to Spondylosis because of the intensity of her kissing spine. Spondylosis is a condition that affects the vertebral bodies and discs in the horse's spine. It is mainly found in between the 11th and 13th thoracic vertebrae. The spine may lose its flexibility due to the bone changes.
The care for Filia is very complex. She has to get body work, supplements, shots and PEMF therapy. Going deeper into body work; she gets sports massage and graston fascia release every week. If we dont keep up on this there would be fascia buildup and stiffness. For the supplement she gets magnesium to relax the muscles by pushing calcium back out of the cell's contraction. Filia gets Osphos every 6 months and Adequan every 6 months. She also uses the Beamer. The Beamer is a form of PEMF therapy. All of this helps her be the happy spoiled horse that she deserves to be.
