# Kissing Spines- Operation After-care and Rehab plan



## dominobrown (5 July 2012)

There are a lot of questions about after-care and rehab of kissing spines so I thought I would post my horses plan if that would help anyone...
My horse had the op in June 09 and got 5th at his first BE in June 10. He still has some issues, but is still on the road, winning two SJ classes a fortnight ago, so I would say it has been a success 

Week 1: Operation (2 weeks box rest, one at vets, one a home)
Week 2: Back from vets, week of box rest. Using Bute, sedalin and anti-biotics
Week 3: One 5 minute walk in hand building up to 3x a day
Week 4: Build up to 3x 10 minute walks a day
Week 5: Build up to 3x 15 Minute walks a day
Week 6: Build up to 3x 25 min walk (I cant quite remember but I think the staples came out about now)
Week 7: 3x 30 minute walk (hard work!), introducing turnout in small paddock. Using magnetic back pad now
Week 8: More turnout, 10 minutes long reining
Week 9: Building up to 20 minute long reining
Week 10: 30 minutes long reining
Week 11: Out in the field 24/7 now, 5 minute lunging building up to 10 minutes, introducing chambon
Week 12: Building up to 20 minutes lunging in chambon (dont over tighten- you can use a loose pessoa, but dont force anything), back massage pad used. Healing (from outside) looks pretty complete
Week 13: 30 mins lunging
Week 14: Riding! 5 minute walk, I basically treated my horse as if I was backing a 3 yr old for the first time, with some on the ground leading him. He was fine. Build up to 10 minutes walking
Week 15: Build up to 20 minutes walking
Week 16: 30 mins walking, I was hacking out, so doing quite a bit of hill work in walk as well.
Week 17: Building up to 40/50 mins walking
Week 18: Building up to 1 hours hacks
Week 19: Start introducing trot, 5 mins at time. Building up to 3x 5min trots
Week 20/21- Building up to 3x 10 min trots, though I dont like trotting on roads so probably didnt do this much.
Week 24: Introduce short canter
Week 25: Introducing schooling work
Week 30- Jumping (had done polework before this)
By now horse was fit, muscled up. My horse had the op in June, hunting by December, eventing by June the next year. I have shown a very detailed plan here, but after week 16, I did not follow the plan so religiously and played it by ear really. I have the equilibrium massage and magnetic back pads. Horse is fed Naf Superflex and Global Herbs alphabute, and gets regular physio. He is getting acupuncture as well! 
The plan is basically about rebuilding the back muscles and ligaments which are basically cut through to operate. As you can I imagine a torn ligament is very painful, and takes a long time to heal, hence why such a slow process. However to help the healing process and to maintain flexibility the horse should be out and about, moving ASAP.
Behaviour wise: I think my horse will always be quirky with or without KS! He still does have memory pain issues, and gets stressed and tense when introducing new things. His flatwork is coming on, but I do a lot of stretching and good long warm up working him long and low to get him working over his back. 
Hope some of this helps!


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## bluehorse (6 July 2012)

DB that's a really helpful post.  My horse had the KS op and followed a very similar early rehab plan, the initial aim being ridden work commencing at week 12.  

I ended up turning him away for 3 months at week 10, as he also had a fetlock arthroscopy at the same time as the KS op so he couldn't cope with the lungeing that was the main part of his rehab programme.  For him that was definitely the best option, as he did have the complication of the fetlock and I had to be careful not to prevent that joint healing too.

Interestingly in terms of his progress he was pretty much 3 months behind yours all the way.

Like yours mine is quirky and definitely has memory pain issues, he was only 6 when he had the op so had probably always experienced some discomfort under saddle since being backed.  I can work him through it now but it's a slow old road!

It's good to hear a positive story and I for one would encourage anyone considering the operation to give it some serious thought.


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## Lucielou (10 July 2012)

Hi there i no this is an old post but I have found it really helpful.  My mare is only 4 and has just been diagnosed with KS and is hopefully having the op in 4 weeks.  Could you please tell me weather you used a haynet in the stable or put it on the floor.  I no this might sound like a stupid question but want to do everything right.


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## bluehorse (10 July 2012)

Hi, sorry to hear about your mare.

I always used a haynet as my horse completely trashes his hay if it's on the floor.  I do however think it would be better to feed from the floor if you can to help the back stretch out.

Good luck with your mare and I hope she has a postive outcome from the operation.


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## seabsicuit2 (12 July 2012)

Sorry do disagree about the haynets hay MUST be on the floor in order to stretch the back muscles as much as pos- eating out of a haynet does have a detrimental twisting action on the back and neck. KS or no KS, a haynet is never ideal. 

Domino brown - great to hear all went so well. Mine had the op a long while ago now and followed a virtually identical rehab/ exercise program. 
I think that exercise program is so vital for success after a KS op. 
Sadly a lot of vet hospitals tell you not to exercise them& to do complete box rest which I think is now proven to be a recipe for failure.


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## bluehorse (12 July 2012)

SB2 - I agree that ideally hay should be on the floor, the reasons for that are obvious.

Not practical in the slightest for my horse though and as discussed with my vet we agreed a haynet would be fine.  The nets were hung as low as was safe though.

My horse has made a great recovery from his op so I think saying hay 'MUST' be on the floor is incorrect - sorry.  Preferable, yes.  A prerequisite for a good recovery, no.

LL - discuss this point with your vet instead of taking our advice lol!


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