Give the free will back to the horse, as it is it‘s birth right, and then ask it if it wants to be ridden. If you can respect its answer, then you can claim to love your horse. 

 

 

Thorakales Interspinales Syndrome (TIS), also known as Kissing Spine Syndrom (KSS) 

The scientific facts are so numerous and so obvious, one would only need to open one vet book to find them all. 

For us in Academia Liberti, the whole health and well being of the horse is very important point, and with that we come to the most common problem which the human causes to the horse from riding it – Kissing Spine Syndrome.

The term “Thorakales Interspinales Syndrome” defines different pathological changes at the spinous processes and small vertebral joints (Randelhoff, 1997):

- Convergence and touching of the spinous processes in the vertebral column due to extream dorsoventral movement (T2-T17)
- Insertion desmopathy of the supraspinal and intraspinal ligaments
- Exostosis (boney growth formations) on the spinous processes, single or focal
- Cysts
- Pseudarthrosis (a false joint, a fracture that does not heal)
- Spondylarthropathy (inflammation and disease) and defomations of the small vertebral joints


The main area of the back effected by Kissing Spine Syndrome is the saddle area (thoracic12- thoracic18) (Jeffcott 1980, Hickman 1975, Townsend 1986). Clinical pictures of KSS show convergence of the thoracic and lumbar spinous processes, which as time progresses in this process of touching and overriding, the ends of the spinous processes will actually grow over each other, or fuse together. 

The appearance of KSS depends only on how the horse is used and has nothing to do with breed or genes. In most cases, horses used in jumping, military and versatility sports have convergence of the spinous processes, and are more likely to develope to KSS.

The main cause for development of KSS is due to the weight of the rider, on horses that are far too young and forced to carry this weight. (JEFFCOTT 1980a, 1993; v.SALIS; HUSKAMP 1978) And taking into consideration the time the spineous processes need to grow, we can then assume these are all horses ridden before at least the age of 5. 

Symptoms of KSS:

- Jeffcott saw the touching of spinous processes as a cause for backpain, and horses can show this pain as changes in behavior and starting to oppose or become reluctant.
- Von Salis, Huskamp and Jeffcott shared the same oppinion about the horse showing these next symptoms:

- Pulling down or dishing their back when the saddle is being placed on it.
- Blowing up or holding their breath when tightening the saddle girth. 
- Horse only follows difficult or forceful rein commands. 
- Reduced hind quarter action, especially when jumping
- Frequent relapsing of hind quarter lameness
- Horse is reluctant to or reacts against holding up hind limbs for the farrier. 
- Horse shows no clear gates
- Horse refuses to jump


 

Jeffcott groups KSS into 5 levels of severity:

 

- Level 1 - Touching of the spinous processes

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti


 

- Level 2 - Touching with low overriding

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti


 

- Level 3 - Overriding with periosteal reactions

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti


 

 

 

- Level 4 - High grade overriding with pseudarthorsis and highly deformed spinous processes

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti


 

 

- Level 5 - Fusion of the adjacent or touching spinous processes

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti


 

Below are spinous processes with normal healthy formation, and interspinal spaces of more than 4 mm.
 
Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti

I would now like to present some examinations and analysis to this problem. 

The following analysis and X-rays are from an animal clinic in Telgte. Information was gathered from 295 horses of whom examinations were performed for the purpose of purchase exams, during the years of 2002-2004. These horses were all found to be healthy by vets who perfomed the examinations, and accodingly, no back problems were found.

And now let us take a look at a real examination. 

The horses were divided in to two groups. Group A: (“Young horses”) 267 horses from ages 3 to 7 years. ( In other words, babies whos growth and development process is not even complete yet – still skeletally maturing).

And Group B: (“Older horses”) 28 horses from ages 9 to 13 years. (In other words, horses whos growth and development process and has just finished and may just be skeletally mature).

Group A: 102 mares, 144 geldings, 21 stallions
Group B: 6 mares, 18 geldings, 4 stallions

Ages of Group A: 77 horses at age 3, 122 horses at age 4, 50 horses at age 5, 17 horses at age 6, 1 horse at age 7.

Ages of Group B: 5 horses at age 9, 11 horses at age 10, 6 horses at age 11, 4 horses at age 12, 2 horses at age 13.

 

The following X-ray pictures show results which were found.
 

- Medical evidence 0: no pathological finding

 

- Medical evidence 1: Deformations on the dorsal ends of the spinous processes.

 

 

 

- Medical evidence 2: Deformations towards the cranial aspect of the spinous processes, also exostoses or osteophytes.

 

 

 

- Medical evidence 3: Osteolysis (destruction of the bone tissue) on the cranial and caudal aspects of the spinous processes.




 

- Medical evidence 4: Abridged interspinal space between two spinous processes, also space between is less then 4 mm.




 

 

- Medical evidence 5: Abridged interspinal space between two spinous processes with sclerosis (thickening or hardening of tissue due to chronic inflammation) and/or rarefication (decrease in bone density).



 

- Medical evidence 6 : Contact between two spinous processes, also interspinal space less is then 1 mm.



 

 

 

- Medical evidence 7: Contact between two spinous processes with an interspinal space of less then 1 mm, and sclerosis and/or rarefication.



 

- Medical evidence 8: Cysts or similar tissue changes.





 

- Medical evidence 9: Desmopathy - insertion desmopathy of the intraspinal and supraspinal ligaments.


 

- Medical evidence 10: Avulsion fracture at the intraspinal and supraspinal ligament attachement site. (no x-ray attainable from the horse, so giving an example on a human bone)





- Medical evidence 11: Overreiding of the spinous processes.

- Medical evidence 12: Pseudarthrosis.

- Medical evidence 13: Misshapen dorsal summits of the spinous processes.



 

- Medical evidence 14: Fusion of the two spinous processes

 

- Medical evidence 15: Fracture at spinous process
 

- Medical evidence 16: Sclerosis and/or rarfication but normal interspinal spaces.

- Medical evidence 17: Deformaties of the spinous processes.
 

Examination results and x-ray annalysis:

I would like to repeat that these horses were found to be healthy according to the purchase examination.

Medical evidence 0:
Out of 295 examined horses, only 25 (8%) were found to be without any abnormalities.
This 8% was found in Group A (“young horses”).
In Group B (“older horses”), there was not one horse without medical evidence of an abnormality.
 

According to the medical evidence at the saddle area from Group B, every horse had an issue at thoracic vertebrae 14. 

Medical evidence 1:
Deformations on the spinous processes appeared often at thoracic vertebrae 14 - thoracic vertebrae 18.
Group A had 94 horses with medical evidence (31.9%) of an issue here.
Group B had 23 horses with medical evidence (82.1%) of an issue here.

Medical evidence 2:
More than half all the horses (51.5%) had deformations on the crainial aspect of the spinous processes.
In the Group A: 127 horses (47.6%).
In the Group B: 25 horses (89.3%).
The most common place for such deformations was thoracic verebrae 15 and in the area of thoracic13 - thoracic 17 – which is the saddle area.

Medical evidence 3:
4 horses already had osteolysis. 

Medical evidence 4: 
43 (14.6%) horses had abridged interspinal space without sclerosis. 

Medical evidence 5:
160 horses (54.2 %) had abridged interspinal space between spinous processes with sclerosis and/or rarefication. In Group B this was found in 82.1 % of the horses.

Medical evidence 6:
2 horses had contact between two spinous processes without sclerosis. 

Medical evidence 7: 
50 horses (17%) had contact between two spinous processes with sclerosis and/or rarefication.
Group A had 40 of those horses (15 %).
Group B had 10 horses (35.7%).

Medical evidence 8:
Cysts and similar deformations were found in one horse. 

Medical evidence 9:
Insertion desmopathy was found in 47 horses (15.9%) and of those horses, 81 spinous processes were affected.
Group A had 33 horses (12.4 %).
Group B had 14 horses (50 %).

Medical evidence 10:
Avulsion fracture was diagnosed in one horse. 

Medical evidence 11:
Overriding of spinous processes was diagnosed in 14 horses (4.7 %) in the area, thoracic 13 - throacic 18.

Medical evidence 12 :
No horse in these groups was diagnosed with pseudarthrosis.

Medical evidence 13:
Misshapen dorsal summits of the spinous processes were diagnosed in 24 horses (9%). 

Medical evidence 14:
No horse in these groups were found to have fusion of the spinous processes.

Medical evidence 15:
No horse in these groups were found to have a fracture of the spinous process.

Medical evidence 16:
60 horses (20.3 %) had sclerosis but a normal interspinal space. 
Group A had 45 horses (16.9 %).
Group B had 15 horses (53.6%).

Medical evidence 17:
83 horses in Group A (31.1 %) were diagnosed with deformities of the spinous processes. 

Please take a careful look at this examination. All horses according to the vets were found to be healthy after the purchase examinations, and only 25 of the 295 horses (8%) were actually found to be without medical findings/issues.

And please take a look again at the ages of these horses… they are so young, and already greatly damaged… 
Why do people do this?
Why do people sit on horses backs and cripple them for their own pleasure? 

And what about vets?
I understand the need to make money… But at the cost of the horses health?
There must be something called morals and integrity… or does this not exist in our world anymore?
Dämmrich (1993) stated that KSS appears through repeated ventral sinking of the vertebral column (riding). Fibral fractures also occur at the intraspinal ligament. 
Kreling (1995) found in his examinations that KSS affected 66% of the horses.
Townsend (1986) made examinations and found KSS in 86 % of his examined horses.

But then I read discussions among vets after such examination s that are as follows:

“Almost 1/3 (31.9 %) of all horses in this examination had deformations of the spinous processes.“

Jeffcott (one of the worldwide known equine experts) does not consider such deformations, as well distorsions of the supraspinal ligament, as reason enough to be considered an injury or lameness of the horse.
The young Dr. Matilda Holmer who carried out the examinations of the 295 horses, had only to conclude that - considering there was such a high percentage of horses (82.1%) in Group B to have these deformaties, this is pathological, but as it seems must be taken as “signs of wear” through use of the horses. And because so many of the horses (82.1%) that were found to be helthy had abridged interspinal space between spinous processes with sclerosis and/or rarefication, this was seen as “normal” deformation and appeared to be nothing more than wear and tear from the use of horses for riding.

After his examination with 86% of horses found to have KSS, Townsend asked that KSS to not be used or taken as clinical relevance until obvious signs of pain from the horse become apparent.


Well, does this need any comment?
I can only explain this nuisance with the assumption that those “experts” had another approch, and in general only see horses for the purpose of using. 

But today we are coming into another awareness, and thankfully the human race is developing further. And I have hope when I look around me and see the amount of young people who want to change this, and a new generation of vets coming up who have developed further than their teachers. They are welcome in Academia Liberti. 

This study is endless, and I could continue by showing in great detail what happens with the ligaments and soft tissue… this was just the vertebral column. I think though that it is not necessary, and this should be enough proof for any person with common sense. Just imagine how you would feel having all those “normal” changes in your body, and being forced to carry someone around. How would you feel to be ridden with arthritis? Already being in a state of pain, and then a human comes along who gives you a carrot and rides you… and you are now suffering more pain. Put yourself in the place of the horse and everything will become clear. I actually think it would be fair if every horse owner would be born as their own horse in their next life (lets assume it exists). I have not ridden my mare much, but I can tell you, thinking on this option - I am afraid.

How about you?


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To recollect:

Never ride a horse without collection. It harms its body badly. The fairytale story that riding forward and/or downward does not harm the horses body, is proven wrong through anatomy. Ligaments lift horse's back when the horse puts it‘s head down:

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti

But when a human in sitting on it, the vertebral column sinks because the ligaments can no longer carry the excessive weight: 

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti

Never make your horse jump, it ruins its vertebral column and joints:

Graphic Copyright Academia Liberti
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope that at the very least this study will be an eye opener for every horse owner. I think every horse owner who truly loves their horse will not want to intentionally harm it, will open the vet books and will study the science of the horse in order to themselves understand, and perhaps help other people to understand what is truly happening through the act of riding.

We encourage riders to search for a way to ride the horse without causing damage to its health (which in all honesty will always lead to the conclusion that the horse should not be riden at all). It will surely not be riding in the way we are used to seeing all around us, or the way that is still existing as the antique model.

 

And I can assure one thing, there is so much more that is gained when a horse chooses to be your friend.