Back pain is increasingly recognized as a cause of poor performance in populations of athletic horses. There are numerous causes, so an accurate diagnosis is crucial for a successful outcome. One common abnormality that may be exacerbated during riding (because of back hyperextension caused by the weight of the rider or specific sporting activities) is impingement of the dorsal spinous processes (DSP), commonly referred to as ‘kissing spines’. This is analogous to Baastrup syndrome in humans.

When conservative measures fail, surgery may be indicated to allow these horses to return to their sport comfortably. Several surgical procedures are available for this condition. They include interspinous ligament desmotomy (cutting the ligament between the ‘kissing’ vertebrae), osteoplasty (re-shaping the bone at ‘kissing sites’), and partial ostectomy (removing larger pieces of the DSP at the offending sites). The surgical plan is tailored to the individual patient, but all have a favorable success rate for return to work.