06/06/2026
Reverse Kissing Spine
Part 1 of 3: What about the roach??
Reverse kissing spine in the lumbar vertebrae (behind the saddle) is one of the most overlooked precursor to kissing spine in the thoracic vertebrae (under the saddle).
Kissing spine is unfortunately a very common finding in a lot of ridden horses.
From an osteopathic perspective, kissing spine is not considered to be a primary issue. This means that it is caused by something else.
If you can find what the initiating factor is in enough time, you can often manage kissing spine well. However, if you do not or can not manage the initiating factor well enough then the kissing spine will only get worse.
What Is Kissing Spine?
Kissing spine usually occurs under the saddle region (thoracic spine). It forms when the spine is not able to lift (flex) properly in that area. Over time the dorsal spinal processes of each vertebrae get close and rub. This can create inflammation which can lead to pain and eventually arthritis in that area.
Signs Of Kissing Spine:
• Reduced top line under the saddle
• A “pitting” between the spinal processes
• Reluctance to work
• Saddling/Mounting issues
• Bucking and performance issues
• Regular, persistent stomach ulcers
If the spine gets too close then the vets may medicate them or even operate. Unfortunately, I am yet to meet a horse post kissing spine surgery who is not restricted in that region.
What Causes Kissing Spine?
Anything that causes the horse to consistently move in a hollow/extended manner. This can include poor ridden/exercise posture, conformation, injury, poor saddle fit, foot balance, poor dental balance to name a few.
One thing that gets hugely overlooked as an instigator of kissing spine is the lumbar roach.
What Is A Lumbar Roach?
A lumbar roach is a section of the lumbar spine that is held more in a flexion (up, opposite to kissing spine).
In kissing spine the vertebrae are down/extended like a smiley face. In a roach the vertebrae are more up/flexed like a rainbow. See picture below.
This is usually over lumbars 1-4 with 2 and 3 being under the most strain (an important point discussed in later articles in this series).
How Can A Lumbar Roach Create Kissing Spine?
Well, what goes up…must come down. The greater the severity of the roach (flexion) in the lumbar spine, the more the areas either side are pushed down/extended (and vice versa).
In this situation the more dominant the roach, the greater the risk of kissing spine. The vertebrae in front of the lumbars (the thoracic spine/ under the saddle) are pushed down into extension. This is an initiator for the start of the kissing spine process. See image below.
So What Is “Reverse” Kissing Spine?
Kissing spine is where the vertebrae are held more down/in extension. As a result the tops of the spinal processes can rub each other and form kissing spine.
Reverse kissing spine is when the vertebrae are held up/into flexion. The lower parts of the vertebrae (facets and bodies) are now under pressure and closer together. They now kiss in the opposite area to the normal kissing spine. Hence the term reverse kissing spine. Other names will include lumbar facet arthritis and spondylolisthesis.
Reverse kissing spine usually occurs behind the saddle where a degree of roaching has
occurred. Kissing spine is usually found under the saddle region.
In this three part series, we will be looking into the relationships (mechanical and visceral) of the reverse kissing spine, how it can form and how it can be managed.
(P.S Yep, you read that right earlier…. Other things can cause the lumbar roach to form. This means that in some cases the roach is second on the list and something else is the cause…..but it also then means that kissing spine on your horse might not be second on the list…it might be third!!
So it is then even more important to get on top of those issues causing kissing spine.
Otherwise you won’t make any progress if you only treat something that is second or third on the list and not number one!) Treat the WHOLE HORSE and treat the root cause.
