DON'T GIVE UP HOPE!  I have a 16.3hh, Trak/TB, 14 yr old, dressage horse.  She was competing successfully at Advanced Medium level and then last year she started to struggle with the work.  Investigations followed and in September she was diagnosed with very severe kissing spine affecting 10 spines. She had some of the worst x-rays my vets had ever seen with much damage and errosion to the spinal processes and the scan of her supra spinous ligament showed much tearing where it had rubbed over the jagged bone. Things looked very bleak.  Personally I don't agree with surgery for this problem and I thought she would have to retire but I am extremely lucky in that my vet is one of currently only two in this country to be trained in the alternative treatment for kissing spine of Mesotherapy. (My vet is in Devon, the other practice is the AHT in Newmarket) This treatment has been widely used on the continent for many years and is comparatively a passive treatment.  It involves multiple injections(under sedation) over the back just below the skin, of various anti inflammatories, steroids and other similar 'potions'.  This is followed by an intensive 6 to 8 week programme of progressive lunge work using a Pessoa and also Physio and a course of laser treatment.  My mare also had an IV treatment of a drug called Tildren which is taken up by any arthritic boney structures that need it - ie her vertabrae. She was also referred to the Practices Remedial Farrier for foot rebalancing and this has been really influential in her improvement. Because her case was so severe she had a second treatment of both Mesotherapy and Tildren in December.  After a couple more weeks of lunge work I began ridden work in walk.  Over the next two months I built up her ridden work and reintroduced progressive schooling.  I continued to lunge her in the Pessoa twice a week.  By the end of March she was working really soft and round and showing no signs of resistance.  By the end of April we were out competing again at Advanced Medium level and she has gone from strength to strength, not only producing some good results at the level, including qualifying for the Summer Regional Championships but she has progressed up through the levels, being placed and gaining points in all her Advanced level classes and last weekend she gained 64.73% at Prix St George level.  She is enjoying her work and is very much the 'happy athlete'. Her maintenance programme is very important in order to keep her back in good condition.  She continues to be lunged in the Pessoa twice weekly and has 15 minutes stretch and flex warm up in the school before we work and more stretching to warm down after.  I also use an Equilibrium massage pad fon her for 30 minutes before and after every work session.  Keeping her well is a time committment,  the work keeps her back healthy, you do need to be able to work your horse 6 days a week for success if you go down this route and plenty of turnout is also beneficial.  As with medicating bone spavin in the hocks, she may well require a mesotherapy treatment once a year.  If she deteriorates and requires treatment more often than this in order to keep her rideable then that is when I shall retire her but that is just my personal preference.  Fortunately I have excellent insurance with the NFU, who have been brilliant in funding all of her treatment.  The mesotherapy itself is not too expensive but the Tildren treatments are about £400 a time. I think it has all cost about £2,500 so far but it has been so worth it as I now have a happy and willing horse and I have achieved my dream of competing in top hat and tails.  The success of her treatment is a wonderful recommendation for Mesotherapy as an alternative to surgery but be advised, vets who do not understand it or who cannot offer it themselves will probably

Sorry to hear he/she has kissing spines. Thought you may like to hear of my experiences, it is always great to hear other people's stories.  My homebred PB Welsh Cob has kissing spines in 3 different places, he has not had a hard working life, and has been a fantastic ridden and in hand showing cob for many years, he was diagnosed 4 years ago by scintigraphy testing.  Steroid injections were attempted whilst under sedation, but he found this too uncomfortable, and is needle shy.  Operating was not practiced then, Physiotherapy was suggested, and carried out at home after an initial consultation.  He was worked on the lunge only, lightly to begin with using a chambon to encourage him to work long and low.  I was shown how to massage his worst area behind the saddle area, and as it was winter I also used 2 hot water bottles (tied together) under his night rug first thing before turnout (not boiling hot), I also stitched magents to the underside of his fleece.  Prior to exercise I would carry out stretching exercises using treats to encourage him to use and stretch his neck.  This all took around six months, with about 4-5 physio callouts, in between this I chose to use a local Shiatsu therapist, my cob loved these visits, he was so calm and content.  I carried this on for about 6 months too, one visit per month until he was signed off.  As he responded so well to the lungeing work (he was quiet to lunge luckily), I commenced with riding lessons & schooling with light hacking.  In time we went back to Showing with huge success. 

In conclusion, the vet report I had originally received for my horse telling me the worst and was devastating at the time, but with wonderful people and time, he ended up receiving much praise from judges.  I am so glad we chose this route, it has made me a much better person for understanding his movement, he is happy I am happy.  I have found he is much happier and more comfortable living out 24/7, he is constantly moving around.  I also fed him, with care, Selenium and Cider Vinegar, along with joint supplements.
 

I guess it depends on the individual horse, and how severe the kissing spines is, how much time you have to help him/her, and finances.  Retiring my boy was the last thing on my mind, I was determined to help him and being able to ride him again one day would be a bonus let alone compete again, even low cross country, the day he becomes too uncomfortable for me to ride him he will tell me. Having him put to sleep is out of the question, he is so happy in himself.  He does now have a quieter pace of life.

Talk to as many people as you can, and find out as much as possible before chosing the route to take, it maybe worth speaking with therapists, although you may have to have your vet recommend this route if chosen. 

Good luck with things, if you want to talk further I'm more than happy to e-mail.

 What did your vet say? I know some  horses that are still  being ridden now with kissing spine and others who have had to be pts.