The Complex Case of Lordosis and Kissing Spines: A Dual-Strategy Approach to Saddle Fitting

Have you ever looked at your horse’s back and noticed its gentle dip has become more pronounced over the years? It’s a common sight, especially with beloved older campaigners or certain breeds. This condition, known as lordosis or “swayback,” presents a significant saddle-fitting puzzle. But when you add a diagnosis of Kissing Spines (KS) to the mix, that puzzle becomes a paradox: you need to support a back that curves downward in the middle, yet you must avoid any pressure on the top of the spine where the vertebrae are painfully close.

It’s one of the most challenging situations a rider can encounter, and standard saddles—or even standard solutions—often make the problem worse. This isn’t about finding a quick fix with a pad; it’s about understanding the unique biomechanics involved and adopting a dual-strategy approach to restore comfort and harmony.

Understanding the Two Key Challenges: Lordosis and Kissing Spines

To solve this puzzle, we first need to understand each of its pieces. While lordosis and Kissing Spines can exist independently, their combination creates a uniquely challenging set of saddle-fitting complications.

What is Lordosis (Swayback)?

Lordosis is the medical term for a downward curvature of the horse’s spine, typically most visible between the withers and the croup. While it can be congenital, it often develops with age, conformation, or a loss of abdominal and back muscle tone.

From a saddle-fitting perspective, lordosis creates one critical problem: bridging. A standard, straight saddle tree placed on a dipped back will only make contact at the front (near the shoulders) and the back (near the loins), creating an empty space—a bridge—in the middle.

What are Kissing Spines (Overriding Dorsal Spinous Processes)?

Kissing Spines, or OSDP, is a condition where the spinous processes—the vertical, bony projections extending upward from each vertebra—are too close together. They may touch (“kiss”) or even overlap, causing inflammation, pain, and restricted movement. For the horse, any pressure on or near this sensitive area can be excruciating and may trigger defensive behaviors like bucking, refusing to go forward, or hollowing its back.

The Vicious Cycle: How a Poorly Fitted Saddle Makes Everything Worse

When you place a standard saddle on a horse with both lordosis and KS, you can trigger a painful feedback loop.

The saddle bridges due to the swayback. This means the rider’s entire weight is no longer distributed across the broad back muscles. Instead, it becomes concentrated on two small, high-pressure zones at the front and back of the saddle panels.

How much pressure are we talking about? Research has shown that a poorly fitted saddle can generate pressure points exceeding 34 kPa (5 psi), a critical threshold known to cause pain, restrict blood flow, and lead to muscle atrophy and tissue damage over time.

The horse’s natural reaction to this intense pressure is to drop its back even further to escape the pain. This hollowing posture, in turn, forces the already-close spinous processes even closer together, aggravating the Kissing Spines. The pain from KS causes the horse to hollow more, which worsens the bridging and pressure points. It’s a vicious cycle of discomfort that can only be broken by a fundamental change in equipment.

The Common Mistake: Why “Filling the Gap” Isn’t Enough

The most common instinct is to reach for a thick pad or corrective shims to fill the gap created by bridging. While well-intentioned, this approach is often a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. Here’s why:

• Creates Instability: Shims and thick padding can act like a wedge, causing the saddle to rock or shift from side to side.
• Adds Spinal Pressure: By adding bulk under the saddle, you risk narrowing the spinal channel, inadvertently putting pressure directly on the sensitive, inflamed spinous processes you’re trying to protect.
• Doesn’t Truly Distribute Weight: Padding might fill a void, but it doesn’t fundamentally change how the saddle tree interacts with the horse’s back. The pressure points often remain, just with more material underneath them.

This highlights why padding alone can rarely achieve the proper saddle balance for horse and rider so crucial in complex cases like this.

The Dual-Strategy Solution: Supporting the Dip, Freeing the Spine

The only effective way to saddle a horse with lordosis and KS is with a design that addresses both problems simultaneously. The solution must be built into the structure of the saddle itself.

Strategy 1: Support the Lordosis with Specialized Panels

Instead of a straight panel that bridges, the horse needs a panel shaped to follow the curve of its back. A solution like Iberosattel’s Comfort Panel is designed specifically for this purpose. It features a shorter, more compact shape with a subtle curve that maintains continuous, even contact along the dipped portion of the back. This design completely eliminates bridging, distributing the rider’s weight across the entire available surface area of the back muscles, just as a saddle should.

Strategy 2: Relieve the Kissing Spines with a Generous Spinal Channel

At the same time, the saddle must provide absolute freedom for the spine. This requires an exceptionally wide and anatomically shaped gullet or spinal channel. Research from the University of Zurich indicates that a spinal channel width of less than four fingers (approximately 6-8 cm) can impede the movement of the spinous processes during flexion and extension.

For a horse with KS, this space is non-negotiable. The channel must be wide enough to ensure no part of the saddle panel ever touches the sensitive spine, even during movement. This principle of ensuring freedom for the horse’s spine is the foundation of a pain-free partnership.

By combining these two strategies—a panel that supports the curve and a channel that frees the spine—you create a saddle that works with the horse’s unique anatomy, not against it.

Beyond the Panel: The Role of the Saddle Tree and Overall Design

While the panel design is critical, it works as part of a holistic system. The saddle tree must still be correctly angled to fit the horse’s shoulders, and the overall length of the panels must not extend past the last rib (T18). For many horses with lordosis, which effectively shortens their weight-bearing surface, understanding the principles of saddle fitting for short-backed horses is equally crucial.

A Quick Guide: How to Spot Potential Issues

Not sure if your saddle is part of the problem? Here are a few key things to look for:

• The Bridge Test: With your saddle on your horse’s back (ungirthed), see if you can slide your hand freely under the center. A significant gap indicates bridging.
• Sweat Patterns: After a ride, look at the underside of your saddle pad. Are there dry spots at the front and back, with a clean patch in the middle? This is a classic sign of bridging and uneven pressure.
• Behavioral Cues: Pay attention to your horse. Ear pinning during saddling, biting at the girth, reluctance to move forward, or dipping away from your touch are all signs of discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can a horse with lordosis and Kissing Spines be ridden?

In many cases, yes. With a proper diagnosis, veterinary management (which may include injections, physical therapy, and targeted exercise), and a correctly fitted saddle, many horses can live comfortable, happy, and active lives. The goal is always their comfort and well-being.

Will a treeless saddle solve the problem?

Not necessarily. While a treeless saddle won’t bridge in the same way a traditional tree does, many lack the structural integrity to distribute rider weight evenly. This can result in concentrated pressure directly over the spine—the worst possible outcome for a horse with Kissing Spines.

How often should I have my saddle fit checked for a horse with these conditions?

More often than for a horse with a standard conformation. As you work on exercises to strengthen your horse’s core and lift its back, its musculature will change. We recommend a professional check at least once or twice a year, or anytime you notice a change in your horse’s comfort or way of going.

Can special pads fix a bridging saddle on a horse with KS?

While corrective pads can be a temporary aid for very minor issues, they are not a long-term solution for significant lordosis combined with Kissing Spines. They often create new pressure points or instability. The solution needs to be in the core design of the saddle, not in the accessories added to it.

Your Path Forward: Prioritizing Comfort and Knowledge

Saddling a horse with lordosis and Kissing Spines isn’t about forcing a standard solution; it’s about seeking out a specialized one that respects your horse’s unique anatomy. It requires a dual strategy: panels that support the dipped back and a channel that frees the sensitive spine.

By understanding the biomechanics at play, you shift from being a worried owner to an empowered advocate for your horse. You begin to see that a well-designed saddle is not just a piece of equipment; it’s a fundamental tool for communication, connection, and in cases like this, even healing.