NHE Equine Anthology Vol. 4 by NevzorovHauteEcole

editor-in-chief’s word

This is the fourth NHEEA volume. Possibly you have read the first three issues; possibly you received this issue by chance, and later you will find and study the previous ones. Fortunately, the essence and nature of NHEEA materials (unlike traditional “periodicals”) are such, that they do not become outdated over time. Even the news we publish is not up-to-the-minute-time-sensitive information, but statements of fact, of which the new equine history is being built. To know even this, to understand its importance for the global process, is to be hippologically literate. Yet again we have a chance to be clear about it, since we have started publishing “The Horse Crucified and Risen (Horse Encyclopaedia)” by Alexander Nevzorov. This book was written five years ago, before many discoveries were made and much real manege progress had been achieved. Even so, as evidenced by your letters,– “The Horse Crucified and Risen” continues burning into readers' hearts, making them change. Someone, having read a single Anthology issue, will simply close the door of the horse-riding club, throw whips and bridles away and from this moment onwards will admire horses in pictures only. This is a sincere and brave decision, which deserves respect and compliments. Someone else will go further and will try to go deeply into everything. One will make his way to science, another one will stand in the public forefront of our “Horse Revolution”, and the third one will take a fancy for knocking on the School's door and beginning the incredibly difficult task of being a horse's teacher Perhaps, someone will even be able to do it... The main thing is to wrestle with laziness, fear and the custom to abide by convenient lies. It's no easy thing – but you have already read these lines, which means you have begun your way to victory. Editor-in-Chief Lydia Nevzorova

Founder and publisher: LLC “Nevzorov Haute Ecole” Editor-in-Chief: Lydia Nevzorova Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Stasya Zolotova Coordinator of the Project: Alina Nos Editor-in-Chief’s Assistants Alina Nos, Maria Sotnikova, Alexandra Oranskaya Editorial Staff: Cloé Lacroix, Stormy May, Janene Clemence, Victoria Reesor, Maurizio Patti, Karina Bjerremann, Lovisa Nilsson, Fred Ivar, Sasha Day, Caroline Lavoie, Jean Lafontaine, Varvara Liobovnaya, Evgenia Shevchenko, Olesya Rodina, Dmitry Buzdalov IT Director: Elizaveta Makarova Photo on the Cover: Lydia Nevzorova Art Director: Dmitry Raikin Head of pre-Press Department: Evgeny Mushtai Head of News Department: Sophya Demskaya Chief Executive Officer: Dmitry Uchaev Assistant Director: Elena Kuzina Officer in Charge of the Project: Tamara Komissarova Editorial Office Address 199397, St-Petersburg, PO Box 900 Tel.: +7 (812) 335-30-39 E-mail: Journal@HauteEcole.ru © NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE. All content of “Nevzorov Haute Ecole Equine Anthology” is protected by the copyright law and other acts of legislation of the Russian Federation and international copyright laws. Contents, or part of contents, appearing in this issue cannot be published in the Internet without express written permission from “Nevzorov Haute Ecole”. All text, photographic and/or graphic material found in this issue cannot be published, rewritten or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium without express written permission from “Nevzorov Haute Ecole”.

Contact: Journal@HauteEcole.ru www.NevzorovHauteEcole.com

Horse Encyclopedia by Alexander Nevzorov This film marked the beginning of great conflict between people who truly love the horse and people who want to exploit it as before. Dozens of chapters – about great people and terrible epochs, about manege elements and famous horses, about scientific discoveries and age old delusions – turned the horse world upside down. The film was released in Russia in 2004 with runaway success and received awards in the Houston and New York Film Festivals. Innovative, unique, based on science and inspired by the sincerest loving view of relationship between two creatures that have walked side by side for centuries, but have never listened to each other. The film has already changed the destinies of hundreds of horses and humans and has become an important hippological document, vital to any serious manege work.

Nevzorov Haute Ecole Principles The film brings a viewer right into the heart of the School – to the School manege. For the first time ever, an outsider can watch the most important principles of work with a horse at liberty. Following the camera’s lens, a spectator follows horse education in the most difficult High School elements, learns the importance of “Discipline” and “Composure”, understands the purpose and practical value of the cordeo, touching techniques and the practice of longeing. The comments of Alexander Nevzorov, which accompany every segment, interpret what is essential for understanding and mastering the School work. The magnetic grace and power of the School horses, the marvelous harmony of their interactions with the Master make “The Principles” not just a priceless hippological educational edition, but also a rare and beautiful film, which once and for all will change a person’s view of the horse.

The Horse Crucified and Risen For five centuries High School masters have fought an uncompromising and unrelenting war against the ignorance, abomination and beastliness that have been concentrated in equestrian sport. But here and now, at the turn of the millennium, when horse torture seems common, acceptable, and legal; old prophecies come true. A man stepped forth to open a new, truthful page in equine history and has brought us this film… In this film – we see the victory of the great School master, preceptor Antoine de Pluvinel over sadistic James Fillis, equestrian sport ideologist. In this film – we see the newest scientific discoveries, which will make people change their views on the horse and its destiny in the human’s world. In this film – we see ancient mysteries, knightly orders and bloody events of past epochs. This film also features the first horses in the world to have received an academic High School education at liberty and their teacher, manege Master, the founder and teacher of today’s Nevzorov Haute Ecole, Alexander Nevzorov. “The Horse Crucified and Risen” shines a light on the most important events in hippological history and gives a viewer the understanding of the essence of horsemanship, which is the basis for understanding the principles and practices of NHE.

www.NevzorovHauteEcole.com

Journal@HauteEcole.ru

school © Lydia Nevzorova

mount

ractate T on a School

school TRACTATE ON A SCHOOL MOUNT

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

TRACTATE ON A SCHOOL MOUNT school

(main question)

(coldly)

the fourth part See the beginning in Vol. 1–3, 2009 The School seat starts with an immeasurable respect of the horse's back. Though in our case this respect is strictly lucrative and has nothing to do with the blind worshipping of the horse.

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

school TRACTATE ON A SCHOOL MOUNT PRINCEPC CUAESitUM So, the PRINCEPC CUAESITUM (main question) still exists. It sounds very unpleasant, it perplexes and makes one angry but it will not go away and it remains the primary question if we are concerned with the art of riding and the authenticity of the School seat. The true School seat can only begin from an honest answer. This question is simply, “Why? What is the purpose of you being astride?” This is the key question, the answer to which contains everything to do with the relationship, as a box contains precious jewels. It is the big picture. This is also the touchstone by which everything else is judged, and in the case of a correct answer, this is the key to the true School seat. We shall not comment on equestrian sport bullshit propaganda about the necessity of working a horse in order to avoid muscle dystrophy 1 or the riding-masters’ confident belief in the necessity of horses “earning their keep”. Of course, we also aren’t discussing this as an alternative source equestrian sport amusement or so called “training”, or for pleasure riding, that method of the horse hauling a person’s idle-ass around. These pastimes are for weak-minded people who have no equine knowledge and therefore must be read about in some other magazine. Their answers are worthless for us. However, sometimes weak-minded and ignorant people are entertaining and can show us what not to do and help us to better understand the essence of the question. To compete in equestrian sports or for pleasure riding nothing is required but ignorance, a desire for self-aggrandizement or a desire to gain pleasure from actions that cause a horse pain. When the scientific proof of the damage of equestrian sports is gathered together, we can see a simple truth emerge. It is important to understand that in classical riding as in equestrian sports there is no relationship between a horse and human, nor there is mastership, nor art. There are however, quite a number of primitive, pain inflicting skills and rules regarding their application. Anyone can master these skills if they are the least bit cruel and ignorant. So, the low IQ of everyone practicing any type of equestrian sports should not cause us even the slightest surprise.

True myological-based education of a horse, the development of MAGNITUDO (power and freedom) is possible only in hand at liberty. There are several groups of School exercises that gymnasticize a horse this way.

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

These people naturally cannot ask the question “Why?” A horse’s back for them is something you ought to sit on. It is “the place where the butt is placed”. It is what you need to climb onto for relaxation or plea sure. Of course understanding the subtleties of the horse’s neurological and anatomical properties or studying the myological characteristics of this “place to put a butt” in this type of community will never come to mind. They are only concerned with the comfort of their butt. For instance, the simple and absolutely innocent remark that they are placing their butt on the brain of a living creature, is at first surprising for them and then it will bring them to a rage, guaranteed. Although it is clear even to a fool that the medulla spinalis (spinal cord brain) — is exactly the same brain as the cerebrum and medulla oblongata and has exactly the same complicated functions but is more vulnerable because of the absence of a stable and permanent protective capsule (the skull) that contains the cerebrum. It is useless to explain anything to them. They will never understand nor accept it. According to Zen, these are the sort of people who “have no cup”. By “have no cup” I am referring to the well-known story about a Zen master and a foolish lay brother. “When the foolish lay brother asked his master a difficult question about destiny, the master answered: ‘I can answer your question but will not because you will not understand it. Imagine that I have a teapot with tea and you want to drink. I am ready to give you tea, but you need a cup. You haven’t got one. If I pour tea into your fists, you will get burned and will scream in pain. We will ruin your fists, the mats and the varnish on the floor... and you will not even get to taste it’”. In exactly the same way, this knowledge is useless for “horse-lovers”. By getting it they will burn their fists and scream from pain but the taste of knowledge will be unknown for them because they “have no cup”. The taste of knowledge is only truly understood through application. For those who want to understand the School seat I would recommend to learn well this Zen story as well as the great rule of SUPERBIA, in the light of which any arguments of those who are against the School are regarded as what they really are — complete nonsense. What do I mean by “a cup”? By a cup, first of all, I mean the love of a horse, but not the equestrian ass-riding love that is identical to the love of a “biker” for his bike or moped. But the true love that feeds on the knowledge of a horse and that drives one to know precisely the feelings and sensations of the one you love and to put their well being above your comfort and caprices.

The chestnut daughter of Chimera and Talisman Born in 1997 Russian saddlebred 16,1HH

ÂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;Lydia Nevzorova

lipisina

Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; Fred Ivar Falck Husum on her legs, ligaments, skeleton and muscles very fast. Her whole organism was badly affected. When she reached the age of twelve we parted due to a young man's military duty and bad economy. She was lame and paralyzed in pain although I failed to see it. Or maybe I did not dare to admit it to myself? This is a long time ago now, but still I wake up with tears in my eyes reminded about her in my dreams. And I have to live with what I have done for the rest of my life. Not knowing what happened to her is the worst part. She had a heart of gold and she will never be forgotten.

A new beginning

Fred Ivar Falck Husum Official NHE Representative in Norway When I was a little child I dreamed about riding a horse galloping through the field with the wind flowing through the hair. Unfortunately we did not have a horse, but my dad raised a small group of cattle. The young ones became innocent victims of a childs stupid romantic dreams and innocent ignorance. It was no big success... But after some years of continuous pleading finally my parents gave in and bought our first horse. A little pony, a Nordlandshorse called Stella. She was pregnant and not ridden before. Very calm, beautiful, patient and full of trust. The perfect family

28 NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol.â&#x20AC;&#x2030;4

horse. It did not take us long to turn her into a frantic nervous wreck. Very soon I outgrew her wanting something "faster". The nervous wreck was left to my younger brothers. I got a new horse. A 6 year old Swedish Warmblood. Her name was Cornelia and she became my soulmate. We were together always. But my love for speed and adrenaline became her curse. Seeking thrills I wanted to do cross country and three day eventing. She did everything I asked to the best of her abilities, because she knew this was what I wanted. Unfortunately all the running, hazardous riding and jumping took its toll

For many years there were no horses in my life. I pursued a career as a tattoo artist and built motorbikes for a hobby. Finally, I found my future wife and soon we were a family. We wanted to move back to my childhood farm to relieve my parents. The process did take some years and during this time my father and I rebuilt everything to a small boarding facility. Traditional farming with pigs, sheep or cattle was just not something I wanted. Horses were much more appealing. I did not have plans of having any horses myself, but half a year before the move it happened quite suddenly. By a strange series of coincidences I came across a 5 year old Friesian gelding with the name Harm. Newly arrived from Holland, he was furious at everybody, especially children. It was very obvious he had been badly mistreated for a long time. In addition he was underweight and showing signs of serious neck trauma. Nevertheless, something must have happened, because very soon he was ours. Maia, a 3 year old mare of the same breed joined us shortly after. Beautiful as a real Queen and with a temper to match. Having had some years to mature I am a bit calmer so I wanted to train them in dressage, building their bodies and beautiful movements. However this was not exactly what I had been doing before so I felt the need to re-educate myself. I started to search on the internet for books and DVD`s and bought tons of those. Amongst them was The Horse Crucified and Risen

Fred Ivar Falck Husumâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; school

and Nevzorov Haute Ecole Principles by Alexander Nevzorov. This was the day everything changed! Everything I believed in, everything I thought I knew and everything I had done until now was worth absolutely nothing. My feet were knocked from under me and everything fell apart. After a few days of serious soulsearching in complete confusion and

despair I knew I had to start all over again. I had no idea of what to do or how to poceed, but I knew there was no way I could go on like before. The newly bought saddle was sold and bridle thrown away and it was decided on the spot never to be used again. We went trough more or less a year of undemanding time doing nothing but caring for the horses and at the same

time educating myself in a new way of thinking. I was trying to digest the NHE philosophy and understand the meaning behind the words "The horse is always right" and "The horse is an exact science." So simple, yet so difficult. The year passed quickly as the horses slowly recovered from previous shoeing and riding practice. Now everything is starting to come together. We are at a new beginning. Harm and Maia are enjoing the very start of their education gaining knowledge which will, instead of causing pain, injuries and breaking them down, help them develop the body, health and inteligence in a positive and constructive way. Their spirits and individual personal characteristics are no longer corrected or suppressed in any way, but rather welcomed and encouraged. They are treated like conscious, intelligent and delicate beings and respond to it in an amazing way. They are the King and Queen, and although I am the one supposed to teach them I know in reality I am the one who is learning the most. I have to thank Alexander and Lydia for making this possible, but I know for sure if they could, Harm and Maia would like to thank them most of all. Fred Ivar Falck Husum Photos by Helge Alme and Craig Petty

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol.â&#x20AC;&#x2030;4 29

Against equestrian sport petition Currently Nevzorov Haute Ecole Research Centre has the unquestionable evidence of the equestrian sport's cruelty. We are ready to bring on a highest level a conclusive accusation against equestrianism, races and other horse torturing activities. Also we think it is legally acceptable to claim moral damage which is caused to children, who's mental health is endangered while participating in "sport activities" which considers the cruel treatment of a living being to be normal. The above is pertinent to the audience which is unsuspicious of the real nature of equestrian sport, races and other human entertainment which include horses. We bear in mind the extent of the problem: we understand that the equestrian industry will use any means possible to defend its financial interests. Also we understand that we can withstand and win the fight only when we close our ranks. We need your aid, the aid of the sane and the intelligent people. Let us together stop the lies and the rampancy of the legalized cruelty. Let us mark the 21st century with the prohibition of such a shameful sport as equestrianism. Let us exclude "Equestrianism" from the Olympic Games. You can not ignore the public opinion nowadays. Internet connects people all over the world. Through the efforts of the publicity the use of the wild animals in circuses was banned in the USA. The horse slaughterhouses were also closed there. In Australia the horse races were banned at the Victoria race track. All of these happened because of the unity and bravery of the people who are ready to make a stand against the deadly machine of equestrianism. And this is just the beginning.

Stop legalized violence! Sign the Petition

horse revolution Equestrian sports. «Secrets of art»

32 NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

Equestrian sports. «Secrets of art» horse revolution

equestrian sports © Nevzorov Haute Ecole

«secrets of art»

part three *

falling sickness of equestrian sport * This article is a material from the Nevzorov Haute Ecole Research Center

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4 33

Equestrian sports. «Secrets of art»

A healthy way to die The whole principle of the "sport-riding seat" has already sent thousands and thousands of people to graves and wheelchairs, and it is clear that this trend will continue. Every year, every month and every day horseback riders will fall down; breaking hands, legs, ribs, spines, getting hit on the head with hooves, becoming disfigured, invalids and corpses. There are too many examples of these falls, deaths and mutilations to not notice that they are very systematic and inevitable.

NHE-2010

What is the main principle of the sport-riding seat, if we overlook the sportsmen's favorite idiotic phrases about "staying in balance" and "partnership"? If we look at it honestly and succinctly, this formula is very easy to understand. The sport-riding seat teaches a person how to stay on a horse AGAINST the wish of the horse. Above all, AGAINST the horse’s wishes, otherwise all these pain-inducing devices, without which horse sport and riding would be impossible, would be useless. (I’m referring to iron instruments in the mouth, nasal instruments of control, meters of straps, martingales, spurs, side reins, etc) (see ill. NHE-2010). These instruments are still sometimes called "technical riding instruments", although already with some shyness, because the principle of their effect is already clear to everybody. And it is clear that they have absolutely no role in the "technique of riding".

NHE-1600 © Nevzorov Haute Ecole

NHE-1525

The mum, who takes her child to the horse riding club must know, that sooner or later she'll pick him up in an ambulance, and the drunk trainer will lyrically wave with his hand, saying "goodbye" to the latest victim of his idiocy and ignorance (see ill. NHE-1525) because each trainer has his own "private cemetery". This is a fact.

Their function is to stop the rebellion of the horse against the painful mass on her back, which makes pain and discomfort in her whole organism, to stop it by inducing a painful shock of a different strength. Their function is to paralyze by pain, to humiliate, to compensate for the absolute absence of the talent of the human to have normal relationships with the horse, to make her into simply a nice, stupid animal, who is subordinated by sudden painful movements and a simple mortal fear … of the pain. Relationships, as it has already been shown many times by many people, do not need these or any other "instruments". That is already a proven fact. Every horse is phenomenally clever, and if you have a modicum of a correct relationship, simple respect for her physiological feelings, a horse can be controlled without any iron, nasal

34 NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

horse revolution

instruments or side reins. And if you have the knowledge and skills of the master – a horse is not just controlled, but also shows the phenomenally beautiful and effective collection and talent to do all (both simple and difficult) elements of Haute Ecole.

Some time ago, when the truth about the whole "romanticism” of equine sport and about the real principle of riding instruments wasn't SO widely known, it was easier for them to lie to themselves and to other people. Now it is nearly impossible.

NHE-3100  © Nevzorov Haute Ecole

Riders, sportsmen, and amateurs imagine themselves magnificent and romantic, by sitting on horseback they get that feeling of the beauty and high-performance that nature did not give them. But those who understand the principle of how these "riding instruments" work, see in these riders pitiful, terribly scared people, who roughly sit on the horse who has been paralyzed by pain, and then use the most base methods, tormenting and beating that wonderful, thinking, living creature, showing off and breaking through their fear. They panic while trying to keep their secret, holding on to it by tooth and nail, and shouting to the world which already knows the truth about equine sport.

The legend about equine sport has been destroyed. The evidence about the nature, and the real role of "riding instruments" has already been collected and verified by science. It is already well known and proven, that for equine sport you do not need any mastery or knowledge, you just need to learn several primitive techniques of inflicting painful actions on the horse and to use them at the right time. There is nothing more that you need.

A well-known guarantee of the rider's safety, when the horse cannot rebel – is the presence in her organism of many different acute and chronic diseases of the legs, spinal cord, chronic cranial pains because of the use of iron and many other diseases in her body. Surely, most horses used in "equine sport", are sick to differing degrees. Assurances of local horse yard vets about the "horse's health" are at the least ignorant, but most of them are absolutely false, because these vets are serving equine sport and financially interested in its profitable future. 1

From now on I will purposely use this term as the word "rider" is too flattering for the people of this kind.

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4 35

NHE-1780  © Nevzorov Haute Ecole

Although, no, you do need to be able to do one more thing, to hold on to a horse. In spite of the painful actions of a rider, a horse is still a very sincere creature, who can always fight, and when she is already in a panic because of the idiocy and cruelty – she can even panic with huge destructive power, by which she can easily get rid of the "jockey" 1, and sometimes – can easily kill him.

NHE-5015

ÂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;Lydia Nevzorova

Here we introduce to you a list of rare and ancient things which were not known to hippological history or were completely forgotten. In this cartularium there will be forgotten articles and texts, which are vital for attaining an understanding of Equine History.

cartularium

cartularium HORSE'S PRAYER

Horse's prayer The origin of the document is unknown. At present it is clear it was written and printed by the director of a wandering circus at the electric typography house in Tambov. It should be mentioned that copies of the above letter circulated around now and then but at the moment we deal with an undoubted original for the very first time. There is complete evidence that the text is genuine without deviations or misinterpretations. It was discovered by a prominent collector and rescuer of Russian rarities Michael Surov who found it quite by chance. The document was stuck to the outside of the

lid of an old chest. Mr Surov contacted A. Nevzorov on the phone immediately to tell him about the finding. Two days later he brought the lid (which had been torn out by his own hand) to Saint Petersburg. Here in the lab environment the sheet of paper was carefully detached from the lid and restored. The text printed on it sounds naïve and sometimes a bit ridiculous. The horse is perceived as a kind of a "humiliated beggar" which is typical of the changing times or transition period. The message is weak and shy but full of sympathy and understanding of all the pain inflicted by a man to a horse.

* * * To you, my master , I come with my prayer. Feed and water me well enough. Let me have a rest in a clean stable after hard and long lasting work. Talk to me, as it's a human voice that matters, not a whip. Caress me and teach me to work willingly. Don't beat me when I go up the hill neither pull the reins when I descend. If I don't understand you instantly be patient and don't use the whip. Better check if my reins are properly fitted or my shoes trouble me. And if I refuse from food you'd better examine my teeth attentively. Do not cut my tail as it is the only protection from insects' attacks. Dear master when I grow feeble and useless don't condemn me to

46 NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

hungry death; better pass your sentence and murder me with your own hand to avoid unnecessary sufferings. Ultimately forgive me in the name of Him who was also born near the manger; to you I come with this fervent prayer. Notes: The prayer was a great success in all the cities where it had been spread. As a result some decrease in cruelty/violence towards the silent and devoted servants of man has been observed. I strongly recommend displaying the prayer in all public places such as inns or stables. Member of Animal Welfare society, honorable citizen and circus director Trofim Dmitrievitch Manoilov, stage name Highlander.

Iron Chapter 1

The Horse crucified and risen

he history of equine "iron", that is, of snaffles, curb bits, and spurs, cannot be examined and understood except in the context of the very dramatic history of the relationship between man and horse. A history of the "iron" in and of itself would not be very well understood and would, most likely, be terribly boring. In any event, it is not important whether the chomping abrasions on Scythian snaffles were being induced or what the curvature of the psalium of Greek or Persian curb bits was, but, rather, the fact of how this "iron" worked and that it transformed the relationship of horse and man into an eternal problem. The "iron" of every era is fantastically informative. "Iron" in general, is very truthful, very direct and straightforward. The masters of bas-relief, painters, and men of letters can lie artistically as much as they like and however they like about the relationship of man and horse and they can create a certain romantic illusion, but by looking closely at the "iron" of one era or another, the truth becomes clear. It becomes clear what kind of relationship it really was, what man wanted, what the horse did not want, what riding was like and how great or worthless was the rider's skill. Using the truest imagery, I want it to be as clear for you as it is for me when I go over the innumerable snaffles, curb bits, and spurs of all eras, from the times of the Lurs 3 to the Napoleonic days. In each piece of iron — and the cruelty of the designs is staggering— is a breathtaking quantity of information about riding styles, about the characteristics of the horses, about the ambitions and customs of the era, about the peculiarities of war, and about human stupidity and the horse's pain. That is why I wrote this chapter and, in particular, why I am starting the book with it, because "iron" in particular always was, is and will be the most fundamental and determining factor in the strange and very dramatic relationship between horse and man. Generally, it all was very much the same everywhere.

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

Chapter 1. Iron

Whether in ancient Scythia, Assyria, or the Kingdom of the Lurs 3; whether in Rome, Egypt, or in the ancient caverns of the Celtic smiths; or beneath the piercingly white full-spectrum brightas-daylight lamps in the workshops of modern England and Germany — over a period of almost 3,000 years the same exact activity has been and still is taking place, namely, the manufacture of metal contraptions, pieces of metals with differing forms which give man the illusion of authority over the very free, very strong and very defenseless horse. From the moment man first understood that it is only with pain that he can force a horse to bear him on her back, he has contrived and concocted unbelievable contraptions, first trying to lessen the pain he causes with the movement of his hand while holding the reins, then driving that pain to the limit. The "iron" in the horse's mouth has become, for man, some kind of indispensable attribute of the relationship, a magical key for control of the horse. For all that, I will not be starting from the very beginning. One may boldly scroll through any of the archaic times. Let's take a certain high point, the moment when control of the horse was converted into a very complex art achieved by very few, but which enraptured — and continues to enrapture — the whole world. France, the 12th century. Here by this time the great riding school named Haute Ecole, that is "high school", had been created, and had gained its fundamental features which maximized exploitation of the horse's capabilities. Haute Ecole has at least eight canonized founding fathers. They are Frederico Grisone, Pignatelli, Salomon de la Broue, Piniatelecci, Cesare Fiaschi, Antoine de Pluvinel, Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere and Chevalier de Nestier. These are the only legitimate, canonized fathers. And I am not talking about any historical small potatoes 4 that hint at their paternity in the memoirs of that time. There are about 30 men, and all of them, as they say, had their hands in it, but they were not canonized. Both the canonized and minor fathers of Haute Ecole were masters of very complex dressage. They were rough, tough horsemen with dismal biographies and physiognomies, confirmed libertines, ready for a fight. What is interesting, save for the heavily and noisily boozing Cesare Fiaschi and the quietly imbibing Piniatelecci, all of them were men who were teetotalers. The charm, swagger and reputation of these wizards opened doors and hiked many skirts for them. These maestro horsemen, who sold their talent at all of Europe's royal courts, were more valued than the most famous poets. Every literate person was able to dash off some verse in those days.

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

The Horse crucified and risen

But hardly anyone was able to teach a horse the courbette a — a majestic and formidable jump on the hind legs when the horse rises up into a pesade b that, because it is so high, the effect of the jump increases a meter more! — except these men smelled of horses. These were the cocky and coarse maestros who calmly gave blood princes a box on the ear and thrashed marshals and ministers on the hand and back with a whip for any error at a lesson. Their commodity and their talent was in incredible demand. One just has to imagine to what extent the knowledge of riding was valued in those days and how the knowledge to teach a horse at least a little was worshipped. Everyone rode then, but they rode hideously and toward the end of the 15th century they were beginning to understand that. The Gothic era bequeathed to Europe a nasty riding seat in which the rider openly interfered with the horse's movement. This resulted in a tendency to terribly beat the horse to use very bulky "iron" in the horse's mouth, and spurs with necks which reached as much 35 centimeters. But chiefly — the gothic seat contributed nothing to the understanding of the horse's balance beneath the rider, even the horse could not find it. Here, and further on in the text, I am examining only a certain upper class of horse in the equestrian world hierarchy created by man — namely, saddle horses. Those horses, whom it would be possible to combine under the general category of "non-sadd led" — draft horses, farm horses, carriage pullers, city dwellers — over the centuries had the same fate at the hands of all peoples. The fate and life of the workhorse of the Gothic era in no way differed from the fate and life of the ancient Egyptian horse or the horse of a Russian peasant. The fashion, trends, birth and death of the various schools in no way ever influenced the monstrous life of these horses, a life replete with beatings and other indignities. The fundamental tasks of a saddle horse in Gothic times were the following: – delivery of a load, in the form of a rider, roughly to where he needed to go; – to trample and bite someone along the way wherever possible; – not to die in a year's time from decaying and inflamed wounds and abrasions which were caused by armor and the very complex and always poorly fitting accoutrements. The marching, fighting, tournament and parade horse of the middle ages simply carried the rider along a certain specified trajectory and it wasn't important what the trajectory was — from Paris to Liège or from the flag at one end of a tournament barrier to the flag at the other end. The control of a horse was uncommonly crude and feeble. It was no accident the knights' tournaments always were performed across a barrier, a plank wall nearly 120 centimeters high.

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

Chapter 1. Iron

If not for this wall, any Raymond of Toulouse and Lionheart attempting to joust with one another would have amused the public with their repeated unsuccessful attempts to actually meet within the confines of the tournament field on their horses — which were nearly uncontrollable or able to be controlled only very crudely. Training of a tournament horse was primitive; they taught the horse by any means to gallop as swiftly as possible in all this idiotic "iron" along a wall, which also served as a reference point. Nothing else was required of the horse. There is also a separate history regarding "swiftly", by the way. The pages and squires, or the "tournament guards", in order to raise the knight's horse into a gallop, thrashed her from behind for all she was worth, which was not prohibited by the rules of the tournaments. The horse galloped along the wall and at a defined point met the other steed, which was moving in exactly the same way along the other side of the barrier. The knights began manipulating their lances at this point. This was all there was to the equestrian part of a classical tournament. Status Armarium, the tournament rules, stipulated a mandatory bend at the dividing barrier's end, about which there is this extremely eloquent quotation: "They did it in order to prevent the accelerating knight from running into the barrier or the spectators' stands". In these words are summed up for you all the characteristics of a real knight's riding. And this wasn't entirely attributable to the stupidity of the Bohemonds of Taranto, the Rolands or the Cids. It was simply that the subtlety of controlling a horse was totally unknown. And it wasn't the horses’ doing. I must surmise that the French king, Henry II was able select any steed he desired, but nevertheless it was he, who, at a tournament, incidentally, and only because of his inability to control his horse, was simply stabbed in the head by the lance of his respectful opponent who absolutely had not intended to hit the king, but — just the opposite — had intended to lose the engagement. Henry, by the way, died right there on the tournament field. The cinematic versions of tournaments without barriers or battles in a clear, open field are pure fantasy, and they are possible only because of countless rehearsals and the abilities of the stunt horses, which are taught first to converge on each other and shoot on past at a precisely specified distance. Such stunts were too much for real knights' horses. But times changed. The tournament ideal of riding "faded" along with the knights' standards. It would have taken a long time for it to die due to “natural causes”, but the Renaissance burst forth, which drove the first serious nail into the coffin of Gothic riding almost immediately, because it brought to God's earth classical ideals and the “picturesque ease”, “elegance” and “power” of the “classical seat” — (that description being a myth if ever there was one).

NEVZOROV HAUTE ECOLE Equine Anthology, Vol. 4

ÂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;Lydia Nevzorova

This section is dedicated to discourses with those who are capable of turning the cold searchlight of science on any hippological problem. World-known hoof-trimmers, luminaries of veterinary sciences, historians and professors of higher educational institutions of hippology will tell you about their work, their ideas and horses.

colloquium

EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY

equine photography To take a photograph of a horse you must love and understand her. I took up photography rather late. As a child, the art was far beyond my interests. My father was an artist who considered photography something third-rate. When we became horse-owners and needed to have hippological pictures taken, we discovered that there were no professional photographers in Russia who were capable of shooting horses. The photographs taken for us by some highly reputable photographers didn’t meet our needs, we disliked them and for good reason. I never thought of myself as a photographer. I was up to my ears in pure science – hippology.

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COLLOQUIUM

I took up photography rather late. As a child, the art was far beyond my interests. My father was an artist who considered photography something third-rate. When we became horse-owners and needed to have hippological pictures taken, we discovered that there were no professional photographers in Russia who were capable of shooting horses. The work made for us by some highly reputable photographers didn’t meet our needs, we disliked them and for good reason. I never thought of myself as a photographer. I was up to my ears in pure science – hippology. Once, when a professional pho tographer was employed for a regular photo session, I was allowed to join silently somewhere in the corner with my small “Canon”, trying not to disturb the master. That was 15 years ago. The photographer was taking pictures of Nevzorov and the horses. When the film was developed (digital photography was a novelty then) my pictures turned out to be much better than the professional ones – the press media preferred my work. We thought it was a coincidence and later tried once more. Again my pictures looked better. In fact there was nothing surprising about that. Photography abides by the same laws as painting and my first qualification is that of an artist. Also, I know horses. This well-known professional did not understand the essence of the horse and its grace. He did not know what was going to happen in the next moment and couldn’t catch the mood. Neither did the others. He took the wrong angle, used a tripod and chose the wrong survey points. And to crown it all, he was scared of the horse.

In fact, fear is the biggest problem of photographers who try to shoot horses. To them, the horse seems giant and unpredictable. They feel nervous to get in close and photograph almost as if they are using telephoto cameras, like

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Equine photography

they are shooting tigers in the savanna. As for me, I kneel right under the hooves and am not afraid to sit on the ground or lie in the way of a galloping horse. * * * In the end we realized that we didn’t need anyone else. So we spent a lot on our first professional camera. Since then, all Nevzorov Haute Ecole projects, experiments, book illustrations, photo reports from the motion picture films and horse portraits have been made only by me. The work of Haute Ecole photographer has a lot of peculiarities. Nevzorov Haute Ecole (NHE) – is a modern School created by Alexander Nevzorov and is based on the ancient Haute Ecole principles and humane horse treatment. According to the School principles, the horse is viewed not as a means of transport or tool for entertainment, but as an equal and astonishing living being capable of the highest feelings, which requires our most respectful and careful attitude. NHE fights against inflicting pain on a horse, against equine sports as quintessence of this pain and takes drastic actions against violent exploitation and torture of the horse in all its forms. Our horses are brought up without compulsion and force, without bits, without pain. I also shoot them to show people harmonious relations between the horse and the man – without any torture and violence, how the horse can behave if a man refuses to use bits (bits attached to a bridle which sit in the mouth and cause inconceivable sufferings), whips, spurs and other means of compulsion. NHE horses are absolutely free of them. They are strong, talented and each one has individuality which is constantly being cultivated. They embody power and grace. That is what I want to demonstrate.

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colloquium cindy sullivan

Cindy Sullivan This is a very strong, purposeful, charismatic woman. The director of the ESA, where our guest today works as Academic Affairs and Senior Field Instructor, describes her as “one of the most trusted and experienced natural hoof care practitioners and instructors in the world”. Her work, achievements, aphorisms, unusual attitude and wisdom are well-known far beyond American borders This is why today I would like to introduce to our readers not just a great hooftrimmer, but also an extremely interesting person – Cindy “Hawk” Sullivan.

INDIAN

But did your love for horses come from Indian ancestors?

First of all I would like to disclose a secret and to extend felicitations upon the birth of your grandson! How do you feel being a grandmother?

I descend from a woodland Nation… horse cultures were of the plains Nations. All in all horses are not exclusively an "Indian" thing.

I am thrilled to have achieved the title of “grandmother”…it is a great honor and privilege as well as a solemn duty to pass on history and wisdom to a new generation of my family. Let’s talk about your ancestors. Maybe you had an opportunity to notice, that in Russia there are a lot of people who love and know very well the Indian culture. Sometimes it seems to me, that there are more of those people here in Russia, than in USA. Indians are the real cult for Russians… What do you feel about Indian-imitators of different nations, who wear Indian costumes, build tipis and sing songs in the woods of Transbaikalia? I’m just wondering what the real Indians think about that. I don’t know. There are as many opinions about that as there are Indians. I really don’t understand the romantic fascination with American Indians. It is so excessive many times that it doesn’t even come close to reality. People are attached to the way native peoples here were centuries ago and seem to get caught up in this historical mythology of the “noble savage.” They manufacture their own assumptions about how they lived and what

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But there is a myth about Indians' love towards horses. I know that it’s not a very pleasant thing to say, but we both know, that Indians had not much time for love… They ate the horses, made them work hard etc…

they believed and mix together elements of many nations assuming “all” Indians believe or lived that way. This ultimately prevents people from ever having a true understanding of the cultures. The most obvious blunder is to misunderstand the vast differences in the cultures of the various “tribes”…. they are called Nations (not tribes) for a reason…they were as different as any modern Nations on the earth today. What tribe you belong to? Mohawk is my ancestry but I do not “belong” to that Nation or any other native Nation in a modern legal sense. I was never formally recognized, or made “official” with any other Nation. I was born an American and that is more than enough for me, no other association could make me any prouder than I am to be an American.

I think it is one of those things that also came out of the over romanticizing I mentioned earlier. Being “Indian” doesn’t automatically bestow any special connection to horses. Today many people believe that Indians have a special ability to spiritually connect with horses and other animals. I am more pragmatic about that…I do not believe it is some special ability bestowed in the DNA of Indians, I think it is a skill developed over generations in hunting cultures, any hunting cultures anywhere in the world. The most successful hunters have a keen understanding of both the physiology and psychology of the animals they hunt or use for the hunt…many people today have only ever gotten their meat from a grocery wrapped in plastic. Even many modern Indians have never hunted and have no more “magical” ability with horses than the average non-Indian. I know plenty of modern Indians who