Cytek shoes

It can work if the horse is well supported at the heels but as this picture shows, they often are not.

http://www.horseshoes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10750

This picture show no heel support at all. If this horse was shod over a period of time with the Cyteks it would result in dropped heels. In the second picture you can see the lack of heel support from the underside.

Look at the lower picture and see what heel support the horse has with conventional shoes and a decent farrier.[/QUOTE]


Foxhunter - the shortened stride you describe is the exact opposite of the experiences described on this forum.

Re. the photo - are you looking at the same one as me?

I see excellent heel support, foot support and protection.

What is the virtue in extending the shoe beyond the heels? You are supporting nothing, just increasing the chances of an overreach, losing a shoe and possibly a nasty injury. It is as effective as you walking around with something sticking out of the back of your shoe. How do you think barefoot horses get about?

If you read the threads on this particular forum you will see some of the best examples of the ignorance, vitriol and sheer fear that some farriers have towards this shoe.
 
Have read some of the stuff at the beginning of this thread, then come back at this point. May I just point out that Brumbies and Mustang are NOT true wild horses, they are ferral horses, their ancestors were bred for a purpose and then the animals were turned loose or escaped, so none of these are truely wild and have not developed without the intervention of humans.
 
MrsMozart said:
Unless I read more from you that shows me your depth and breadth of knowledge and experience, then my mind will be closed to you.

I will not risk my horses' health for words written by a stranger, who appears to only be passionate about one type of shoes - your words, you write about what you are passionate about. I await to see if you are passionate about helping people with a problem with their horse; about a rescue animal; about travel for slaughter; or any of the other myriad of subjects on this public forum.

So far, the new people who have posted about the Cytek have done nothing to get me interested in it, quite the opposite in fact. I have researched the shoe and so far found more negative than positive, so add that to the newbie posts on here and, to date, that is two more horses that will not be shod the Cytek way.
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Dear Mrs.Mozart - You make the assumption that because some of the pro-cytek posters are new that we do not care about such things? There are many pressing issues in the horse world. To my mind one of the most important - perhaps THE most important - is ensuring our horses are comfortable, sound and pain free. Perhaps then their lives will be longer, happier and fewer of them will end up in the knacker's yards, they will be more able to stand up to the pressures and demands we force on them and not condemned to the agonies of laminitis, ill fitting shoes that cripple them or the side effects of the medication that routinely gets thrown down their throats to treat these problems.

Farriery is not a very attention-grabbing subject for most owners but when it comes to making a difference to any horse's life many may believe it is the most important.
 
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Ratcatcher said:
Dear Mrs.Mozart - You make the assumption that because some of the pro-cytek posters are new that we do not care about such things? There are many pressing issues in the horse world. To my mind one of the most important - perhaps THE most important - is ensuring our horses are comfortable, sound and pain free. Perhaps then their lives will be longer, happier and fewer of them will end up in the knacker's yards, they will be more able to stand up to the pressures and demands we force on them and not condemned to the agonies of laminitis, ill fitting shoes that cripple them or the side effects of the medication that routinely gets thrown down their throats to treat these problems.

Farriery is not a very attention-grabbing subject for most owners but when it comes to making a difference to any horse's life it is the most important.
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And I again reiterate - when I see more from the newbies, when I can review and balance out their level of knowledge and experience across the board, then I will review my opinion of something that they are so passionate about, i.e. the Cytek shoe. Until then I reserve the right to view their words, rightly or wrongly, as so much advertising puff, which is not to detract from those that say they have found the Cytek works, which, from my research to date, is in the minority.

A note to point: if you search on this forum, you will find that farriery and shoeless are 'headline grabbers'.
 
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Ratcatcher said:
Mrs.Mozart - You have the gift of free will to do just as you wish. Your horses don't.
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Sorry, that makes no sense in the context of this discussion. If you wish to debate the definition of 'free will', then that is another subject entirely.

If this is the level it is to continue at, I will make my excuses and leave the thread.
 
MrsMozart said:
Sorry, that makes no sense in the context of this discussion. If you wish to debate the definition of 'free will', then that is another subject entirely.

If this is the level it is to continue at, I will make my excuses and leave the thread.
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Perhaps I did not make myself clear - I was referring to your right to choose to do whatever you want - in the particular context you spoke of - ie whether to take notice of other postings or not and now whether you leave this thread or not.
 
Here is a new video documenting one of my horse's journey from lameness to soundness thanks to Cytek. She arrived after a long lorry journey (nobody wanted her any longer after she had been lame for several months with laminitis), is videoed hopping lame, and sound just minutes later after Cytek.

I have enough previous experience with my Cytek farrier who has transformed my other 5 horses through Cytek barefoot trimming and shown me 3 leg dissections, that I believed that he could help her be sound, which he has, she now has a chance of a long and healthy life!

Because of Cytek, I took on a 16 year old laminitic mare, who is now sound and well and has been out on the rich, lush grass all this time without restriction and NO MORE LAMINITIS.

Here is the video, which for me is proof. No doubt it will be shot down here! May it shine a light for the many thousands of equines who need it though, whose owners need to know about this, as it could help their horse just like it helped Cleo, with no vets, no bute, no pain, and just £55 for a trim and front shoes. This is soundness we all need to know about :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlDYM5gyEdk
 
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EquiLight said:
Here is a new video documenting one of my horse's journey from lameness to soundness thanks to Cytek. She arrived after a long lorry journey (nobody wanted her any longer after she had been lame for several months with laminitis), is videoed hopping lame, and sound just minutes later after Cytek.

I have enough previous experience with my Cytek farrier who has transformed my other 5 horses through Cytek barefoot trimming and shown me 3 leg dissections, that I believed that he could help her be sound, which he has, she now has a chance of a long and healthy life!

Because of Cytek, I took on a 16 year old laminitic mare, who is now sound and well and has been out on the rich, lush grass all this time without restriction and NO MORE LAMINITIS.

Here is the video, which for me is proof. No doubt it will be shot down here! May it shine a light for the many thousands of equines who need it though, whose owners need to know about this, as it could help their horse just like it helped Cleo, with no vets, no bute, no pain, and just £55 for a trim and front shoes. This is soundness we all need to know about :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlDYM5gyEdk
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Thankyou Equilight for your efforts to inform others and help horses to get the treatment they need and deserve.
The condition of my horses is proof and only this morning my friend, a more recent convert, told me how happy she was with her horse. She said her horse is really enjoying their hacks and she feels totally different to ride. She steps out freely and confidently and although I haven't ridden her since the change to Cytek I can see the transformation not least in her demeanor - she is now a happy pain free horse.

It makes me sad to think of how many horses are suffering needlessly due to ignorance, closed minds and arrogance on the part of their owners. They are so forgiving and dependent on their owners for their well being. It reminds me of the words that I have heard so often "there's nothing wrong with giving a child a good hiding, it didn't do me any harm". To me that attitude speaks for itself. Sadly I see the same attitude surfacing in some of the posts.

Your horses are truly fortunateto have found such a caring guardian - long may you all thrive.
 
EquiLight said:
Because of Cytek, I took on a 16 year old laminitic mare, who is now sound and well and has been out on the rich, lush grass all this time without restriction and NO MORE LAMINITIS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlDYM5gyEdk
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I'm sorry, but dietary laminitis cannot be cured with shoes, it's a gut disease. If this horse was sound immediately in shoes and has been able to eat lush grass ever since then its digestion of grass was simply not its problem in the first place.

I have no problem with Cytek shoes, and if my horses had to be shod they make more sense to me than rim shoes do. But it would be doing no favours to anyone for them to read your post and think that they can cure a horse of dietary laminitis with any kind of shoeing.
 
cptrayes said:
I have no problem with Cytek shoes, and if my horses had to be shod they make more sense to me than rim shoes do. But it would be doing no favours to anyone for them to read your post and think that they can cure a horse of dietary laminitis with any kind of shoeing.
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Dietary laminitis is caused by toxicity of the body primarily because of incorrect compression of the hoof which restricts blood circulation around the hoof structure, allowing toxins to accumulate and cause inflammation. Dietary laminitis can indeed be alleviated by Cytek shoes (or another type of farriery which restores the hoof's natural function and blood supply), because the root cause of it is caused by the mechanical stress on the horses' system from incorrect hoof function (which in turn affects the function of the internal organs).

Once this stress is removed from the body, previously laminitic horses who reacted to grass can return to a normal grazing lifestyle because the increased circulation prevents toxins from causing inflammation in the laminae.

I am not making Cytek out to be a miracle cure, it simply restores natural hoof function, and it's the lack of natural function that causes the many problems with horses which we see today. Humanity needs to learn to always get to the root cause of problems so that we can remedy them, instead of always just dealing with the symptoms.

Cleo is one of 3 horses that I personally know of who have been diagnosed with laminitis, told to be kept of grass with restricted grazing for life, and all 3 are safely on grass full time without restriction after Cytek.

Poor vets :p
 
cptrayes said:
I'm sorry, but dietary laminitis cannot be cured with shoes, it's a gut disease. If this horse was sound immediately in shoes and has been able to eat lush grass ever since then its digestion of grass was simply not its problem in the first place.

I have no problem with Cytek shoes, and if my horses had to be shod they make more sense to me than rim shoes do. But it would be doing no favours to anyone for them to read your post and think that they can cure a horse of dietary laminitis with any kind of shoeing.
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Have you heard of machanical laminitus? Any horse can be suseptible to it.
It begins when a horse has a long toe & hoof wall, thus putting pressure on the sensative laminae on the underside of the hoof.

Try this......

Make a claw shape with your hand, then firmly tap your finger tips on your wall.

Keep doing it, do it nice & firmly!

See how you feel?

Horses with cytek shoes on are well protected!

Lots of love to all horses out there!
 
EquiLight said:
Here is a new video documenting one of my horse's journey from lameness to soundness thanks to Cytek. She arrived after a long lorry journey (nobody wanted her any longer after she had been lame for several months with laminitis), is videoed hopping lame, and sound just minutes later after Cytek.

I have enough previous experience with my Cytek farrier who has transformed my other 5 horses through Cytek barefoot trimming and shown me 3 leg dissections, that I believed that he could help her be sound, which he has, she now has a chance of a long and healthy life!

Because of Cytek, I took on a 16 year old laminitic mare, who is now sound and well and has been out on the rich, lush grass all this time without restriction and NO MORE LAMINITIS.

Here is the video, which for me is proof. No doubt it will be shot down here! May it shine a light for the many thousands of equines who need it though, whose owners need to know about this, as it could help their horse just like it helped Cleo, with no vets, no bute, no pain, and just £55 for a trim and front shoes. This is soundness we all need to know about :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlDYM5gyEdk
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AMAZING POST!! AMAZING VIDEO!!
 
A1fie said:
Two points - firstly, who fancies starting a thread called cytek v barefoot and then sitting back and watching the resulting debate?! :D

Secondly, Maggiesmum - please can I have your contact details as I have been looking for ages for someone who is the font of all knowledge! :D
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Yay I like Barefoot!
You don't always have to have the shoes. Cytek trims are great too!
 
prophecy10 said:
Have you heard of machanical laminitus? Any horse can be suseptible to it.
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Yes. I said "dietary laminitis cannot be cured with shoes". The post I quoted said that this horse had been able to eat lush grass ever since being shod with cyteks and I maintain my position that it would not be possible for the horse to be unaffected in the feet by the consumption of limitless quantities of lush grass if it was a dietary laminitic. The horse may well have had laminitis of another cause, but it certainly wasn't a dietary laminitic, who would have been absolutely crippled by the consumption of that much grass, shoes or no shoes. I think it is downright dangerous for anyone to read this thread and believe that they can have Cyteks popped on their limping pony and turn it out 24/7.
 
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EquiLight said:
Dietary laminitis is caused by toxicity of the body primarily because of incorrect compression of the hoof which restricts blood circulation around the hoof structure, allowing toxins to accumulate and cause inflammation. Dietary laminitis can indeed be alleviated by Cytek shoes (or another type of farriery which restores the hoof's natural function and blood supply), because the root cause of it is caused by the mechanical stress on the horses' system from incorrect hoof function (which in turn affects the function of the internal organs).

Once this stress is removed from the body, previously laminitic horses who reacted to grass can return to a normal grazing lifestyle because the increased circulation prevents toxins from causing inflammation in the laminae.
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I'm sorry but I think this is very far from the true story for the majority of laminitics. I have owned two barefoot ones one capable of Novice BE eventing and one capable of all normal RC activities as long as their grass was restricted. These horses were sound on all surfaces barefoot and did miles of roadwork too. Their issue was grass, not foot function.

If you check posts on this forum and on barefoot forums you will read of many, many barefoot horses which are stonkingly sound all winter and then when the grass comes through, with no change in foot function, become sensitive to stones. Sensitivity which disappears as soon as their access to too much fresh green food is removed. I own two of these right now. If they had not been kept off daylight grass for the summer they would not have been able to walk happily on stones. That is low grade laminitis, yet their foot function is as perfect as it's possible to get it.

Pain from dietary laminitis can be reduced by good barefoot trimming and by Cytek shoeing, both of which spread weight onto the sole and lessen the leverage of the hoof wall away from the laminae. Neither can cure dietary laminitis which is inflammation of the laminae caused by toxins in the bloodstream produced by bacteria in the hind gut.
 
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It's great you are willing to see that the way cytek shoes function, makes sense & gives a more natural way of helping the foot function properly :)

For the people who may read this thread, I would just like to say that my cytec farrier would never put a shoe on a limping pony/horse in pain. He cares about horses & knows when to put a shoe on or not. I have the farrier who shod the horse in the previous posted video.
 
New article in Horse & Hound states that 'Lameness is the most common reason for euthanasia'. '24% were euthanased due to lameness, while an additional 12% were put down through laminitis'.

A total of 36% of euthanised horses due to lameness suggests to me we have a long way to go in supporting the health of our horses, especially when there is such a stubborn resistance to improvements such as Cytek, resistance founded in ignorance.

H&H article: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/310211.html
 
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All of my 6 horses are barefoot, and have improved thanks to the Cytek Facet Trim, which removed excess weight from the hoof wall through precision angling, restoring a thicker sole and functioning frog. Even after 10 weeks none of my horses are showing any cracks, flares, or stress on the hoof wall, even my Shires (who used to flare after 4 weeks).

Also Cytek shoes are cheaper than conventional farriery, and generally only require the fronts to be shod if the horse's work-load demands it.

Regardless of the trim/shoe name, it's the function and benefit to the horse that matters. A natural, compact hoof leads to a naturally healthy horse :)
 
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I am pleased for your horses. They seems to have found a system that works well for them.

I do think it's dangerous to use a specific style of trim though. I think it's better to trim according to the horse's needs rather than to a model. That goes for all schools of thought (wild horse, HPT, Strasser, four point etc, not just Cytek).
 
Oberon said:
I don't understand the need for expensive shoeing options. Taking a horse barefoot with a decent diet and a sympathetic trim works wonders for half the price.

http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.com/2010/09/state-of-art-hooves.html
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Yet again a fallacy being quoted. Whilst I don't necessarily disagree with what you say about diet and "sympathetic" trim what makes you think that Cytec is more expensive. Both my horses were barefoot and are now front shod with Cytek, it costs me about £80.00 a year less than before.
That, however, was not the reason for my choice which was informed by my research, my observations of my horses improved hoof health, gait, stance etc. and observations of similar experiences of colleagues/friends horses.
What I find interesting and suspicious is the attitude of so many posters, if a new approach to hoof health which quite obviously has helped many people and their horses comes to light then why not give it a chance instead of condemning it.
I started riding as a child many moons ago and since then so much has changed in terms of a better understanding of horse welfare which I welcome as ultimately the horses benefit.
Everyone mounted from the ground until it was revealed that a mounting block was less damaging to the horse. Horses were routinely wormed until just a few years ago until it was revealed that too much worming was making the parasites resistant so worm counts are now advocated. I could site many other instances of evolved thinking in terms of horse health, management and training but no doubt you are aware of them.

I find it helpful to reflect on why I might be automatically resistant to something new in any area of my life if this occurs. I usually find that it is underpinned by fear and lack of knowledge. No one can force us to change our minds but if we keep them closed we miss out on so much and in this case so might our horses who are dependent on us for their good health and welfare.

I, currently, know of three people who have lame horses. One has toes that are obviously too long, the other two believe it's due to arthritis. I just wish they would give Cytek a chance not because I have any vested interest just because I would love to see some relief for the animals.

Surely everyone who posts on this site would hope that all horse owners would put their prejudices and ego's on one side and exlore all opportunities to learn more even if having explored they decide to continue as before. Being willing to reconsider and maybe change one's mind is, I believe a sign of courage and strength. Without this we would still be in the dark ages regarding animal welfare and sadly I think some people are.
 
OK. You carry on love.
2thumbs.gif
 
I find it amusing the 'Pro-Cytek' posters are all relatively new posters....

I have two horses bare-foot, and 2 horses that are shod.

All are now over 15, all are in work...

NEVER had laminitis in any of them.

Never needed any 'fancy farrier' work, good, sound and knowledgable work on my horses from an excellent farrier who certainly knows his onions. I'll go with the expert who trained in his home country at his trade, THEN had to complete the farrier course (4 years...?) here rather than letting anyone who 'took a 3-month course now I know it all' to work with my horses.

My farrier also trims the bare-foot ones, and they are BOTH ridden regulaly all over the place, including the roads....

My point is this - IF something works for you, then good, I am happy for you. What bugs me is that too many people feel they have to FORCE their 'new ways' onto other people. I say, live and let live. You do what YOU want, I'll do what I want.
 
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mossolb said:
Yet again a fallacy being quoted. Whilst I don't necessarily disagree with what you say about diet and "sympathetic" trim what makes you think that Cytec is more expensive. Both my horses were barefoot and are now front shod with Cytek, it costs me about £80.00 a year less than before.
That, however, was not the reason for my choice which was informed by my research, my observations of my horses improved hoof health, gait, stance etc. and observations of similar experiences of colleagues/friends horses.
What I find interesting and suspicious is the attitude of so many posters, if a new approach to hoof health which quite obviously has helped many people and their horses comes to light then why not give it a chance instead of condemning it.
I started riding as a child many moons ago and since then so much has changed in terms of a better understanding of horse welfare which I welcome as ultimately the horses benefit.
Everyone mounted from the ground until it was revealed that a mounting block was less damaging to the horse. Horses were routinely wormed until just a few years ago until it was revealed that too much worming was making the parasites resistant so worm counts are now advocated. I could site many other instances of evolved thinking in terms of horse health, management and training but no doubt you are aware of them.

I find it helpful to reflect on why I might be automatically resistant to something new in any area of my life if this occurs. I usually find that it is underpinned by fear and lack of knowledge. No one can force us to change our minds but if we keep them closed we miss out on so much and in this case so might our horses who are dependent on us for their good health and welfare.

I, currently, know of three people who have lame horses. One has toes that are obviously too long, the other two believe it's due to arthritis. I just wish they would give Cytek a chance not because I have any vested interest just because I would love to see some relief for the animals.

Surely everyone who posts on this site would hope that all horse owners would put their prejudices and ego's on one side and exlore all opportunities to learn more even if having explored they decide to continue as before. Being willing to reconsider and maybe change one's mind is, I believe a sign of courage and strength. Without this we would still be in the dark ages regarding animal welfare and sadly I think some people are.
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Great post mossolb! I find your words inspiring!
 
Here is a follow-up video of Cleo's transition, where just after her 2nd Cytek visit (12 weeks of shoes in front and then a barefoot trim) where she is now cantering around freely, out on the rich autumn grass with no more lameness. She is still short behind but this has been a long-standing problem in her pelvis, but all of her chronic lameness infront has gone. She's the white mare running like the wind in the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMXDID7xOOo

Happy viewing :)
 
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