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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
   
Location: Arkansas | Jazz's Girl - 2017-12-11 8:40 AM
A good friend runs one that has KS. She injects his back every 6 months and he is a solid 2D horse. Its not career ending if caught early and maintained.
However...
I bought a project gelding several years ago. He had a history of breaking in half at odd times and hurting people. 14 owners in 13 years that I could track down. I was number 15. I worked with him for awhile but something wasn't quite right with him. Took him in and had his back xrayed because I started suspecting KS. 3 vertebras in the wither area and 4 in the lumbar area. Those being the worst. This poor guy was in a lot of pain. We felt it was in his best interest to put him down. There was no fixing him. He had it for too long. It was heart breaking as he was the sweetest, coolest, guy that we had ever had. I took time to really get to know him and he trusted me. The day we put him down, he thanked us. It was a surreal experience but he knew what was up. He was at peace and so were we. I still miss him.
But the point of my rambling is that if its caught and maintained, your horse should have no issues.
This is so sad that poor boy hurt so long and everyone kept passing him on down the line. Thank goodness you were there for him in the end. . . . |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1165
Location: California | letswin - 2017-12-10 7:17 PM
Thanks for everyones input. Not giving up on her just won't be a barrel horse. Not going to do the surgery it would be different if she was already a proven barrel horse. We may breed her, vet said that would be fine. I just wanted to know if anyone has any experience with KS..
Did the vet say she needed surgery? You can forward the X-rays to Dr Honnas who is a surgical expert in the kissing spine field and he’ll give you an honest opinion! He told me my mare wasn’t a candidate for surgery and that once the inflammation was under control there was no reason she could return to barrels. The vet who diagnosed her told me her career was over because of the KS. My mates back is fine now, she just has other lameness issues preventing her from going back to barrels right now. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 490
| Chandler's Mom - 2017-12-11 10:06 PM
Jazz's Girl - 2017-12-11 8:40 AM
A good friend runs one that has KS. She injects his back every 6 months and he is a solid 2D horse. Its not career ending if caught early and maintained.
However...
I bought a project gelding several years ago. He had a history of breaking in half at odd times and hurting people. 14 owners in 13 years that I could track down. I was number 15. I worked with him for awhile but something wasn't quite right with him. Took him in and had his back xrayed because I started suspecting KS. 3 vertebras in the wither area and 4 in the lumbar area. Those being the worst. This poor guy was in a lot of pain. We felt it was in his best interest to put him down. There was no fixing him. He had it for too long. It was heart breaking as he was the sweetest, coolest, guy that we had ever had. I took time to really get to know him and he trusted me. The day we put him down, he thanked us. It was a surreal experience but he knew what was up. He was at peace and so were we. I still miss him.
But the point of my rambling is that if its caught and maintained, your horse should have no issues.
This is so sad that poor boy hurt so long and everyone kept passing him on down the line. Thank goodness you were there for him in the end. . . .
Your so correct. I'm a sucker for a project and that he was but he also taught me so much. When he first came to us he was sullen and withdrawn. No life in his eyes. With time his true personality started to come out and he was a mess! I called him Wilbur, because Pigpen was too long of a name. He loved mud and being in your business. I even got him over coming at you at feeding time. I think it was due to him being almost starved to death at one point. He would bolt his feed though and choked a few times. Every time he would leave his bucket and walk up to my husband or me and give us a help look. Massage his throat and it would pass. He would look at us and go back to eating. Nothing slowed him down. He always took a huge bite of food initially. God I miss that big red goofball and its been 2 years since we put him down. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Jazz's Girl - 2017-12-12 8:12 AM
Chandler's Mom - 2017-12-11 10:06 PM
Jazz's Girl - 2017-12-11 8:40 AM
A good friend runs one that has KS. She injects his back every 6 months and he is a solid 2D horse. Its not career ending if caught early and maintained.
However...
I bought a project gelding several years ago. He had a history of breaking in half at odd times and hurting people. 14 owners in 13 years that I could track down. I was number 15. I worked with him for awhile but something wasn't quite right with him. Took him in and had his back xrayed because I started suspecting KS. 3 vertebras in the wither area and 4 in the lumbar area. Those being the worst. This poor guy was in a lot of pain. We felt it was in his best interest to put him down. There was no fixing him. He had it for too long. It was heart breaking as he was the sweetest, coolest, guy that we had ever had. I took time to really get to know him and he trusted me. The day we put him down, he thanked us. It was a surreal experience but he knew what was up. He was at peace and so were we. I still miss him.
But the point of my rambling is that if its caught and maintained, your horse should have no issues.
This is so sad that poor boy hurt so long and everyone kept passing him on down the line. Thank goodness you were there for him in the end. . . .
Your so correct. I'm a sucker for a project and that he was but he also taught me so much. When he first came to us he was sullen and withdrawn. No life in his eyes. With time his true personality started to come out and he was a mess! I called him Wilbur, because Pigpen was too long of a name. He loved mud and being in your business. I even got him over coming at you at feeding time. I think it was due to him being almost starved to death at one point. He would bolt his feed though and choked a few times. Every time he would leave his bucket and walk up to my husband or me and give us a help look. Massage his throat and it would pass. He would look at us and go back to eating. Nothing slowed him down. He always took a huge bite of food initially. God I miss that big red goofball and its been 2 years since we put him down.
People like you get a gold star for your big heart  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1613
Location: Wild Wild West | What does the surgery usually cost? |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I have a gelding with "minor" kissing spine and he is managed with massage and proper exercise. However, I believe his also had soft tissue injury.
With that said, I asked Tiany about it at the NFR and she said she has had 6 horses do surgery and success on all of them. Just for anyone curious. I believe Stevi Hillman's Truck also had the surgery. I don't know the cost though. |
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boon
Posts: 1
| Hi there, I had KS surgery done on my barrel horse Sept. 2016... he has not come back. He physically cannot turn a barrel like he used to... I basically have given up and haven't ridden him in months... I am just sick. I am wanting to try him again. What exercises do you suggest? TIA |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 972
Location: Texas! | My gelding had six places operated on by Dr. Honnas in 2016 would 100 percent do it again. He is feeling great and still running and competitive! Sadly don't do it if you ever want to sellchave him for sale and once people find out about the surgery no one will even come try him. Oh well guess he stays with me |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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