Back pain is a frequent yet often hidden cause of poor performance in athletic horses. To better understand how spinal and muscular discomfort limits competitive ability, veterinarians recently evaluated 75 show jumpers using standard, field-ready diagnostic techniques.^*

Horses were first examined at rest, noting conformation idiosyncrasies and muscle atrophy, as well as skin lesions from saddle marks. Responses to digital manipulation along the spine were also recorded. Rectal examinations performed on all horses revealed any abnormalities or pain in the pelvis (e.g., myositis, sacroiliitis, pelvic fracture, spondylosis, other sources of pain). Horses were then evaluated while hand-walking, longeing, and under saddle when ridden and jumping. Stretching exercises were also performed, enticing horses to take part by using treats placed by the horses’ elbows or between the forelimbs.

“At the walk, many horses had restricted hind limb movement and mobility, often raising the head and arching the back,” described Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research.

Further, tail-swishing when transitioning from trot to canter, stiffness, and poor hind limb impulsion were frequently noted. When horses were asked to jump, mistakes and refusals, including sliding stops, were noted.

Lateral radiographs of the thoracic dorsal spinous process and ultrasound examinations of the supraspinous and sacroiliac ligaments were performed. When indicated, mepivacaine blocks were performed in the interspinal space between painful spinous processes or the sacroiliac joint.

In that population of 75 horses, 18 horses were diagnosed with muscular strains, 30 cases of sacroiliac pain, and 16 cases of vertebral lesions such as crowding or spondylosis.

“Sacroiliac desmopathy was highly prevalent among the presented cases while interspinous desmopathy came next,” according to the examining veterinary team.

The team noted that back disorders may be attributable to ill-fitting tack, inadequate training, improper shoeing, and unequal distribution of rider weight.

Specific diagnoses may include lesions of the supraspinous, interspinous, and sacroiliac ligaments; strains of the longissimus muscle; impinging dorsal spinous processes or kissing spines; osteoarthritis; intervertebral disc disease; and vertebral fractures.

“In addition, the veterinarians cited poor management, including inadequate nutrition, as a potential contributing factor for back pain,” added Crandell. “Low-quality feeds and forages may not supply adequate nutrients important for strength and durability of the musculoskeletal system. Making sure your horse has a balanced diet with quality ingredients and proper amounts of vitamins and minerals is key to supporting healthy bone and muscle tissue.”

Supporting optimal joint health can be achieved, at least in part, by supplementing horses with glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and MSM found in quality supplements such as KER-Flex.

Horses included in this study were treated conservatively with rest for one to three months based on severity and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (oral phenylbutazone or “bute”). In addition, horses that responded to the mepivacaine blocks were subsequently injected with the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide.

“Adequate rest and early treatment were prerequisites for recovery,” concluded the veterinarians.

^*Shokry, M., L.B. Ali, and M. El-Sharkawy. 2025. Relationship between back pain and poor performance in show jumping athletic horses. Open Veterinary Journal 15(3):1480-1487.

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Many horses find transport stressful. A recent survey of German owners found that even during trailering lasting less than two hours’ duration, injury, illness, and stress occur frequently, affecting up to 42% of horses.

In total, 432 horse owners, primarily (80%) amateur owners, responded to the survey, but only 258 completed the entire survey. Of those, the majority (63%) participated in sport, including show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Most horses were transported for a short duration, less than two hours, and most horses were transported either alone or with one other horse.

Behavior problems were observed in a third of all horses and included fear, flight reactions, aggressiveness, rearing, and reluctance to load.

“These behaviors were observed at various phases of the journey but most often during loading and during the journey, and less frequently during unloading,” relayed Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research. “When horses were transported alone, they were significantly more likely to display behavioral problems than horses transported with another horse.”

Health problems occurred in 42% of all transported horses. The most common health concern was diarrhea (34%). Injuries occurred in 19%, and respiratory issues were only reported in 2% of horses.

“The incidence of respiratory disease was lower compared to other studies, which may be due to the short duration of transport in this study or that most owners (87%) allowed their horses to lower their head below the withers during transport,” Crandell explained.

Diarrhea was observed in one-third of all transported horses, but this was primarily reported by amateur owners. The survey authors suggested that amateur owners might have overreported diarrhea, confusing soft stools often seen during periods of stress with diarrhea. Most horses that developed diarrhea were transported alone.

“Together, these data show that horses had a high rate of behavioral and physical concerns during short-distance transport, and that stress might have contributed to the behavior problems, injuries, and reported diarrhea. Transporting horses in pairs may alleviate stress and improve welfare during transit,” Crandell explained.

“As the research shows, even short duration transportation can be stressful enough to affect the delicate balance in the digestive system. Supplementing horses that travel often with EquiShure, a time-released buffer, can assist during transport by limiting pH fluctuations of the hindgut and the associated problems,” Crandell said.

^*May, A., C.B. Riley, A. Scharre, Y. Zablotski, and B. Padalino. 2025. A survey of welfare problems associated with transporting horses by road in Germany (2022-2024). Veterinary Journal 311:106322.

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