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One of the foremost authorities on this condition is Dr. Kent Allen of Middleburg, Virginia, and Equestrian <strong>Almanac</strong> reached out to him<br />
and his team of five veterinarians to learn more about it. In 1996, Dr. Allen sold his equine practice in Arizona, and opened Virginia Equine<br />
Imaging, the first privately owned and operated equine diagnostic imaging specialty clinic in the world, catering to the equine athlete in a<br />
way that had never been done before.<br />
Among his many accolades, Dr. Allen was the head veterinarian at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta; and the DVM coordinator of the<br />
World Equestrian Games in 2010, managing a team of 200 veterinarians. He currently serves as Chairman of the USEF Veterinary Drug, and<br />
Medications Committees, and on the FEI Veterinary and List committees.<br />
One of the things we love about our cherished equine friends is that they try very hard to please us. Even with a lameness, they will limp,<br />
but they will bravely carry on. Back pain is one of the few things that can make them say “no.” They may buck, show an aversion to being<br />
saddled, refuse to jump, or exhibit avoidance behavior in any number of ways. If this becomes a pattern, and there are no signs of lameness,<br />
it may be a signal to have the vet perform a spinal examination, starting with a palpation of the spine, the results of which might indicate<br />
the need for an x-ray.<br />
Because the musculature of the horse’s back is so dense, the portable x-ray machines aren’t adequate. But this disease must be diagnosed<br />
radiographically; palpation alone is not sufficient as a diagnostic tool. Horses with a response to palpation should be radiographed with a<br />
high power generator, in the clinic.
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