20/08/2026
THROWBACK THURSDAY | Back Pain in Horses
Back pain is something we see in approximately 95% of the horses we treat at Gundy Park Equine.
And there isn’t always one obvious cause.
Kissing spine, saddle fit and poor posture may be involved, but so can long toes, lack of heel support, arthritic joints, C6-C7 dysfunction and tight or dehydrated muscle fascia. In performance and racehorses, the physical demands of training can also lead to muscle soreness and strain.
The important part is finding out why the horse is sore before deciding how best to treat it. Veterinary assessment should always be considered to rule out an underlying condition.
One therapy we use at Gundy Park is electroacupuncture. Using acupuncture needles with gentle electrical stimulation, the aim is to help interrupt the pain cycle, reduce muscle spasm and encourage the back to relax.
Some horses show a change after their first treatment, although a course of 2 to 3 treatments, generally spaced around a week apart, may be recommended before assessing the response.
Back pain is common. Understanding what is contributing to it is where effective treatment begins.