bexj
Well-Known Member
What does anyone know about Cytek shoeing?
Cytek
- Thread starter bexj
- Start date
the watcher
Well-Known Member
I'm comfy with a cup of tea here - what would you like to know?
And have you been to their website or am I starting from the very beginning?
And have you been to their website or am I starting from the very beginning?
bexj
Well-Known Member
Start at the beginning - friend has horse out on loan - loaner maybe choosing cytek as a shoeing option...friend doesn't know if this is good or bad. horse is currently shod traditionally, with no problems......horse is a dales x
thanks
thanks
the watcher
Well-Known Member
People choose Cytek for a number of different reason, it was quite fashionable 3 or 4 years ago and it may be that they have a Cytek trained farrier in the area that has suggested it. I might consider them for a trippy horse or one with existing balance problems. Basically the breakover point is moved back to what is considered to be a more natural position.
It is a lightweight shoe much wider than a conventional shoe in construction (but not in fit), they are set back on the foot to provide a squared off toe and extend behind too to encourage the heel to grow down and support the hoof. They are useful for protecting against tendon strain. They are designed to be left on the foot for longer than conventional shoes, as the hoof will just overlap the front of the shoe as it grows, instead of collapsing from the heel.
There is a place for them, just as there is for more conventional shoes, I have known dressage horses and endurance horses to be fitted with them. I wouldn't want them on a jumping horse simply because I believe there is more chance of the front shoes being pulled off.
They do have a slightly fanatical element to their following, just as barefoot has in some quarters, but I wouldn't discount them for this reason. The next nearest comparison would be Natural Balance shoes
Does that help?
It is a lightweight shoe much wider than a conventional shoe in construction (but not in fit), they are set back on the foot to provide a squared off toe and extend behind too to encourage the heel to grow down and support the hoof. They are useful for protecting against tendon strain. They are designed to be left on the foot for longer than conventional shoes, as the hoof will just overlap the front of the shoe as it grows, instead of collapsing from the heel.
There is a place for them, just as there is for more conventional shoes, I have known dressage horses and endurance horses to be fitted with them. I wouldn't want them on a jumping horse simply because I believe there is more chance of the front shoes being pulled off.
They do have a slightly fanatical element to their following, just as barefoot has in some quarters, but I wouldn't discount them for this reason. The next nearest comparison would be Natural Balance shoes
Does that help?
TGM
Well-Known Member
Personally, and I must stress that this is purely my own personal opinion, I would not be happy with any of my horses being shod using the Cytek method. I have heard too many horror stories about it. The most notable being one of the ladies who actually ran the Cytek web forum, until she realised what damage it was doing to her horse's feet!
the watcher
Well-Known Member
There have been cases where Cytek has not been appropriate, just a barefoot trims have been shown to be inappropriate in some cases.
I wouldn't say 'never', our local Cytek trained farrier is very good, but he doesn't only fit Cytek, he fits what is right for the horse according to the workload and often fits NB
I wouldn't say 'never', our local Cytek trained farrier is very good, but he doesn't only fit Cytek, he fits what is right for the horse according to the workload and often fits NB
TGM
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't say 'never', our local Cytek trained farrier is very good, but he doesn't only fit Cytek, he fits what is right for the horse according to the workload and often fits NB
[/ QUOTE ] At least with the sort of farrier that you describe, you know that he won't just fit a certain shoe because that is the only thing he does. However, I must say I am not happy with the idea that the shoe can be left on for much longer and can grow over the front of the shoe. I have seen pictures of what can happen in this situation, with the hoof splitting right up the foot.
I wouldn't say 'never', our local Cytek trained farrier is very good, but he doesn't only fit Cytek, he fits what is right for the horse according to the workload and often fits NB
[/ QUOTE ] At least with the sort of farrier that you describe, you know that he won't just fit a certain shoe because that is the only thing he does. However, I must say I am not happy with the idea that the shoe can be left on for much longer and can grow over the front of the shoe. I have seen pictures of what can happen in this situation, with the hoof splitting right up the foot.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
Grim, I have never seen that, but all the horses I knew had regular visits anyway.
Nailed
Well-Known Member
Lol i went with ma boss to shoe a horse which had just come over from holland and i have to admit i had never seen fitted or seen a cytek shoe till i picked this horses foot up.
I was nattering away, put the leg between ma leg.. looked down and was suprised to find my pull off's wouldnt go round the shoe! i struggled the them off cause ma boss had ma nail pullers.
I have to be honest i thought the fit of the shoe was something to be desired as there was an overlap the whole wat around the foot of around a cm and this to me appear to be placing alot of pressure on to the sole.
What shoe is best for the horse is at the disgretion of the farrier and i think it is there professional choice.
Lou x
I was nattering away, put the leg between ma leg.. looked down and was suprised to find my pull off's wouldnt go round the shoe! i struggled the them off cause ma boss had ma nail pullers.
I have to be honest i thought the fit of the shoe was something to be desired as there was an overlap the whole wat around the foot of around a cm and this to me appear to be placing alot of pressure on to the sole.
What shoe is best for the horse is at the disgretion of the farrier and i think it is there professional choice.
Lou x
the watcher
Well-Known Member
cytek website
Interestingly the farrier I know is not on their list, so maybe he isn't fitting them any more.
The wider design is quite deliberate, the theory being that rim shoes exert greater force on the outer edges of the hoof.
As you say, an experienced and trained farrier should choose the best shoe for the job.
Interestingly the farrier I know is not on their list, so maybe he isn't fitting them any more.
The wider design is quite deliberate, the theory being that rim shoes exert greater force on the outer edges of the hoof.
As you say, an experienced and trained farrier should choose the best shoe for the job.
Nailed
Well-Known Member
was a wide web shoe.. never seen anything like it before.. was quite intrigued.. i still have the shoe. i kept it for reference.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
horseshoes forum
somewhere else they are discussed in some detail - if you are having trouble sleeping
somewhere else they are discussed in some detail - if you are having trouble sleeping
TGM
Well-Known Member
See this thread for what can happen to a Cytek shod foot:
http://ihdg.proboards91.com/index.cgi?ac...ge=1#1191879559
(And this was posted by someone who used to be one of the staunchest supporters of Cytek shoeing!)
http://ihdg.proboards91.com/index.cgi?ac...ge=1#1191879559
(And this was posted by someone who used to be one of the staunchest supporters of Cytek shoeing!)
Thistle
Well-Known Member
I have only know of bad experiences with them.
On the otherhand I have had good experiences with Natural Balance shoes.
On the otherhand I have had good experiences with Natural Balance shoes.
berry
Well-Known Member
IMHO do not go there!!!!
My friend swapped farriers because hers went awol, her pony only used to have a trim all round until she took him to a sponsered ride and he came back with bruised soles. She called the Farrier and instead of lettin the feet calm down first like the vet said to do he slapped cytek shoes on him! He would pull the fronts off at least twice before his next shoeing.
She had her pony in them for approx 5 months when I moved my mare back up to her yard.
His feet were appalling he was really collapsed at the heel and the fist day her saw her riding him I told her he was hopping lame. She called farrier out again and he said there was nothing wrong with his feet his actual words were 'He has got the perfect foot conformation'!
In the end she got her vet out who took shoes off straight away to discover he still had bruising on his soles from 6 months earlier!!!!! She was told to box rest him on a really thick bed of shavings as he had gone so badly lame, 5 weeks later he devolped trauma induced laminitus(sp), vet thinks its all down to the type of shoes he had on. He is still on box rest now has been so since April.
But like Thistle I think natural balance are great, my mare has them on fronts and they really suit her.
They work on the same points as cytek are ment too !!!!
Cookies if you have got this far xx
My friend swapped farriers because hers went awol, her pony only used to have a trim all round until she took him to a sponsered ride and he came back with bruised soles. She called the Farrier and instead of lettin the feet calm down first like the vet said to do he slapped cytek shoes on him! He would pull the fronts off at least twice before his next shoeing.
She had her pony in them for approx 5 months when I moved my mare back up to her yard.
His feet were appalling he was really collapsed at the heel and the fist day her saw her riding him I told her he was hopping lame. She called farrier out again and he said there was nothing wrong with his feet his actual words were 'He has got the perfect foot conformation'!
In the end she got her vet out who took shoes off straight away to discover he still had bruising on his soles from 6 months earlier!!!!! She was told to box rest him on a really thick bed of shavings as he had gone so badly lame, 5 weeks later he devolped trauma induced laminitus(sp), vet thinks its all down to the type of shoes he had on. He is still on box rest now has been so since April.
But like Thistle I think natural balance are great, my mare has them on fronts and they really suit her.
They work on the same points as cytek are ment too !!!!
Cookies if you have got this far xx
ISHmad
Well-Known Member
Interesting thread. Had heard of Cytek but didn't know much else about it. Our horses are barefoot and absolutely fine, but it is always good to have an insight into things like this. Very very mixed responses to this way of shoeing, a bit like Marmite i guess. Owners seem to either love it or hate it.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
I am also a big fan of natural balance shoes and wouldn't personally choose Cytek for horses in my care at the moment, but as said earlier in the interests of having a balanced view, I do know people who have used them for years and are happy with them
Gentle_Warrior
Well-Known Member
I tried cytek shoeing on my lad but it did not work for us. although girl at old yard had her tb done and suited him brilliant
Angua2
Well-Known Member
It has its place, but I would only consider it as a remedial shoe. Sidney had cytek shoes when I got him, and they were the only thing that got him sound following him fracturing his pedal bones according to his previous owner.
But I had to change him as a) i couldn't get a cytek farrier, and b) I couldn't keep him sound.
The longer shoeing period has brought about other problems which we are still battleing today nearly 5 years on, these are collapsed heals and long toes along with an unbalanced foot axis. the only shoe that my boy is actually comfortable in now are barshoes, as they are suppporting the heel area. He also now has to have horsetrax pads as he also suffers from very sensive soles.
I know of another horses that this system really really does suit.
I think, like everything, that there is horses for courses (parden the pun), our horses are all individuals and as such what suits one doesn't always suit another. But If is isn't broke then why try and fix it??
But I had to change him as a) i couldn't get a cytek farrier, and b) I couldn't keep him sound.
The longer shoeing period has brought about other problems which we are still battleing today nearly 5 years on, these are collapsed heals and long toes along with an unbalanced foot axis. the only shoe that my boy is actually comfortable in now are barshoes, as they are suppporting the heel area. He also now has to have horsetrax pads as he also suffers from very sensive soles.
I know of another horses that this system really really does suit.
I think, like everything, that there is horses for courses (parden the pun), our horses are all individuals and as such what suits one doesn't always suit another. But If is isn't broke then why try and fix it??
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
Speaking as friend of someone who's horse went out on loan and then came back 6 months later lame and wearing cytek shoes, I would advise against it. It has taken nearly 12 months for her farrier to get the horses feet back to the condition they were when he went on loan. My understanding is that cyteks can't be adjusted by the farrier, so the foot is made to fit the shoe, rather than the shoe to fit the foot.