Seems The New One is out for the rest of the season with a spinal problem: http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/article/465/9775346/the-new-one-diagnosed-with-spinal-issue
I wonder how it's being treated. If, as stated, there will be no surgery, I guess they will be treating with cortisone injection therapy. Whilst, according to tests on a small sample (around 40) nearly 90% of horses treated this way, initially responded well, around half actually suffered a recurrence. It's more likely though that this treatment would have to be repeated every couple of years, having less affect each time. It's interesting that Dr. Richard Coomer of Cotts Equine Hospital in Narbarth, U.K., has pioneered another surgical technique that is markedly less traumatic than other forms of surgery. He performs an interspinous ligament desmotomy (ISLD) in the standing, sedated horse. On a similar sample, 95 % responded well and there were no recurrences. More detail can be read here. For the benefit of anyone who may not be inclined to read the full article, " The pain from ‘kissing spines comes from nerve endings where the interspinous ligament is attached to the bone. Tension and pull on the ligament from exercise and the demands placed on the horse’s back in various disciplines cause reflex muscle spasms that pull the spinous processes even closer together and worsen the condition. So it would seem that this problem can not be left unattended. Also, if no form of surgery is on the agenda, I would be very wary of backing The New One on his return. Even if he wins on his return, there is no guarantee that the problem will not recur. Let's just hope he receives the best possible treatment to relieve any pain on a permanent basis.
Was not suprised to see that he had a prblem, a lot of horses come out of racing with this problem my ex racer has kissing spine only found out when he collapsed twice whilst tacking him up and got his back scanned and has ended up being retired from riding full stop is now relaxing (wasn't worth the surgey) Can be agonising pain and it really is a career ending injury, and as u say Ron if he does come back from it I would be very wary of backing him at all! He won't be the same horse guarantee u that! I am suprised to see that no surgey is taking place I know it is a massive operation but for horse like him you would think that would be the safest option to get him back near his best , I can't remember who it was a mare recently retired had a sore back but still won some decent races ( really bugging me who) so they can come back but kissing spine is something else!
