This disease is known as Dorsal Spinous Process Impingement.
It causes back pain in horses which presents as reluctance to work and go forwards, bucking under saddle, muscular pain, or grumpy behaviour.
The cause is due to the spinous processes in the back, most commonly of the thoracic vertebrae 14-16, causing pain and irritation by being too close together.
The cause of the spinal process proximity can be due to spinal conformation, poor muscular development, lameness or back pain for another reason.
Poor core development also plays a large role in the onset of this disease.
How do we diagnose this problem?
It is a very complicated disease process, so come and see us out our Winter Woollies Seminars this year and I will be spending 15 minutes covering this very important topic.
Tuesday 11th July: Alexandra
Wednesday 12th July: Arrowtown
Thursday 13th July: Wanaka
Booking information will be emailed out soon.