An update from the Nevzorov's
by Stormy May
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| photo by Lydia Nevzorova |
Yesterday I heard from Lydia Nevzorova that Alexander Nevzorov is no longer training horses in Haute Ecole and no longer fighting equine sport. She wrote that he has already said everything there is to say about the equine world. He considers that he has already done all he can for the horse. What else is there to do after reading, writing and speaking with them? Now it is time for his followers to spread his humane message and perhaps to go even further than he. Horses, he concludes, should be returned to the wild to live free as zebras. Now he deals with absolutely different things.
He is finishing his new book, Origin of Intellect. A very scientific work written in Russian, Origin of Intellect was spawned as the result of studying Latin with his black stallion Kaogi. Due to this study, Alexander understood so much and liked to study so much that now he only deals with human brains. Lydia reports that what he has discovered will bring as much controversy to the scientific world as he has brought to the equine world. In addition, he has taken on a fight against the Russian Orthodox Church. He remains a popular public figure for many Russians as well as gaining popularity with a new group, atheists.
Nevzorov Haute Ecole (NHE), Alexander’s school of higher education for humans has taken a new turn as well. With the founder no longer training horses, instead living with them as friends, sometimes playing, studying with them, dealing without any training, he has now turned the school in the direction of advocating for horses to return to their place in the wild. Since 2004 he has been against breeding horses in captivity. He sees our place as allowing this generation of horses to live out quiet, protected lives and the next generations of wild born horses to continue to live as nature intended. Despite this turn, the school will remain as it has been, teaching subjects such as anatomy, physiology, horse care and welfare. Lydia sees the need to continue to receive new students and to support everybody on their own journeys from typical horsemanship towards humane treatment of horses until the last horse is free.
Lydia is especially passionate about the danger of the current trend of people promoting horses and children playing together, barefoot and natural as well as the use of horses for therapy. She well knows the injuries that horses can cause. Horses are not less dangerous with their hooves and teeth and bodies than lions or tigers. She worries that people glorifying this “natural” way will lead to injured children just as adults emulating Alexander’s work with free horses has led to serious traumas and injuries for many people. She is adamant that only highly professional people should deal with horses, not amateurs. Even professionals are at constant risk, and when lay people believe they are qualified to work with horses, there is a great risk of injury to both horse and human.
I feel Lydia’s concern and also hold it as my own. As the result of over 30 years studying horse behavior and living in close proximity with many captive-born and a few wild-born horses, I have developed the capacity to foresee and redirect potential disasters. When I invite others to interact with horses I need to constantly monitor the exchanges to ensure a positive experience for both horse and human. Without the care of someone who is a true professional, well versed in horse human communication, the likelihood is that somebody is going to end up hurt. And honestly, even with the best precautions and direction from a professional, injury is a constant threat. As far as Alexander’s conclusions about the proper place of horses in our future, I suspect this will be something many will need to consider for some time. Personally, I feel the value in working towards greater freedom for all horses and no longer bringing into this world horses that don’t have the guarantee of being cared for their entire natural lives.
This time, 2012 is certainly proving to be pivotal in deciding the direction we are traveling not only with horses but also in all areas of our lives. Is it time for us to be free of our past concepts of how we related to horses, intelligence, religion and each other? Alexander and Lydia are answering these questions and creating a new life for their horses and human family. They invite all who are interested to see what they have discovered.
Here are some links to find out more.
Alexander Nevzorov in the news (Russian)
The Horse Crucified and Risen book (English)
This book is the most comprehensive work available in English detailing many of Alexander's discoveries about the nature of horse human relations both past and present. It is available in print and kindle editions on Amazon.com.
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The Horse Crucified and Risen book (English)
This book is the most comprehensive work available in English detailing many of Alexander's discoveries about the nature of horse human relations both past and present. It is available in print and kindle editions on Amazon.com. Join us on Facebook
Good food for thought.
ReplyDeleteTo many this may seem extreme. But I am able to relate as in the following examples: To the subject of breeding: for the very same reason, I ceased breeding six years ago in order to provide for my remaining horses hopefully to their end. To the subject of cautions around horses: even Klaus Hempfling alludes to "not all persons should be with horses". To the subject of using horses for therapy: I've been there, done that and ceased because of the unfairness to the horse. To the subject of returning horses to the wild: I am gravitating more and more to almost no riding and planning out ways to provide the most natural environment possible while mine are under my care. A good book to read on this subject is "Paddock Paradise" which was loaned to me by a natural farrier. Very helpful in determining things that horses really need. To the subject of intellect and the brain: I have read many books that theorize the human race has not yet met its potential to expand intellect as it was intended. We have within us the capacity to think exponentially in spiritual matters including the expansion of compassion. Whether atheists are grasping this or not, horses, to paraphrase Linda Kohanov's work, are most Christlike in their willingness to cooperate, not harbor grudges, and live and let live. I wish I could find the quote. But I believethis is what she meant. As for Mr. Nevzorov's way of receiving knowledge and inspiration, more than one book has been written through the process of "channeling". Perhaps, he has raised his conscious awareness to the point where the purpose of horses is being revealed to him through such means.
ReplyDeleteThank-you Stormy.
Thank-you stormy for this article!
ReplyDeletethis is very exciting to read and to try and understand everything that is happening, the incredible implications.
this feels so right, i can't wait to tell my horses about it.
Thank you Stormy. It is a perfect article to start a thought process about what we as a species really want, what we can do and what the horse as a species really needs. I do expect this raising quite some heckles as many people will see their own personal dreams threatened. But it always takes only a few determined thinkers to turn things around. I admire your tenacity.
ReplyDeleteI agree we should be way more considerate with just breeding for fun and money and only breed a horse that we are sure of will have care for the rest of it's life. I do not agree with returning all horses back to the wild. Not (only) for selfish reasons (I love working with them) but I see the difference between a horse that is content and living a life in a herd in a field and a horse that is truly happy because it has a feeling of purpose and feels it can grow its talent, form a band with a human and even teach us. Horses take great pride in being a teacher. And that will immediately lead to my opinion about horses in therapy; yes I believe that horse can be very happy doing this. Obviously it needs to be done as safe as possible and the horses need to be well taken care of.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I want to remind people about is the fact that the horse would not have survived this long if it wasn't for the humans. The horse would've been extinct a long time ago. The horse has been a spiritual leader for humans for a long time, even without people realizing, and a lot of times the horse has suffered for that. For that I do feel that the relationship between human and horse needs to rise to a new level but not removed all together, because I feel that would be a loss for both human and the horse.
About the dangers that could arise between horses and people and therefor only highly professionals should deal with horses: I don't agree with that either because if we have to stop doing everything that could cause an injury, we might as well stay in bed. But I do agree that a lot of people dealing with horses today are not ready for it (and some will never be) and a lot of people really need to change their way of thinking about horses. But that is why it is great there are people people like Alexander
I don't want to sound that I am opposed everything Alexander says (because I am not!) I think he is a more than great horseman and a true example. But that does not mean I should not question some of his statements :)
Just need to share.
ReplyDeleteI was only trying to help…
An acquaintance began to tell me about a horse that had been in her and her father’s care for some years. She just beamed when talking about this sweet gelding and all of his antics. But due to circumstances the horse needed to be sold. Now I have to tell you had I had the means to take this fellow home I would have. So I figured the way to help, is to help find him a “good” home. I know a lot of horsey people. Well it didn’t take long until I found a buyer. She was well known in my area and well respected. She always took excellent care of her horses and in the traditional sense many would agree, a horse in her care couldn’t ask for a better home.
But something happened…you see when the buyer and I went to take a look at this gelding, which I was sure she would buy, my eyes opened and my heart broke. I began to immediately experience regret for ever getting involved. This guy, even though he didn’t have the ideal environment and he was a just slightly underweight, I realized he was not being ridden, “trained”, or “worked”, he was just being loved and given an occasionally bath, which according to my acquaintance he loved. He loved to play in the water and would even get in the water troughs and stand for long periods of time. He had a measure of freedom most horses don’t have.
I knew he would have more green grass, supplements, better vet and farrier care, but I also knew he would begin being “trained”, ridden and “worked” by some young men that knew only the traditional ways of training.
I had to hide my tears as this gelding was being loaded onto the trailer and as I realized how my help was really no help at all, I could only silently ask for him to forgive me and try to forgive myself.
I know now too, that this new perspective, awareness and understanding of the human/horse relationship must extend into every decision and circumstance I involve myself in…if only I had thought this through a little more! What a lesson!
May all beings be free and at peace
Thank you everyone for lending your voices and perspectives to this exploration. Writings about our personal experiences help us connect and understand from a wider perspective. More stories please!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add to Iris's post.
ReplyDeleteTo the subject of, "Horses... should be returned to the wild to live free as zebras," I would have to disagree entirely on that. First of all, where would we return them? In many places, "wild" horses are rounded up and sold to buyers, or worse, sold to a slaughter house. So, are they really, actually "wild?" It's more like feral. The horses in the wilds are, in essence, treated by any given government as feral animals.
That's not the only thing I was worried about, though. Correct me if I'm wrong, but If we let loose all of the horses, a lot of rare and uncommon plants in the area where you are setting them free would most likely die without the government doing what it does. That's the sad thing about it. So, in all honesty, I think that we should do the exact opposite with these horses. We should take as many in as possible, so that they can live and prosper, instead of dying (and worse) in a slaughter house.
Here's the link to a Wiki article about Feral Horses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_horse
There's a list of all the places where Feral horses roam, as well as a description of the comparison between "real" wild horses and feral horses.
Thanks for your time!
Nevzorov as anti-Church atheist comes as NO surprise. This was always what I suspected his bizarre horse ideology was really trying to convey. The truth, as anyone involved with horses knows, is that well managed domestic horses are happy and often take pleasure in being ridden. Classical dressage, with its harmonious development of the horse physically and mentally, toward a real, obedient and lovely partnership, has long been a metaphor for the development of the mastery of the intellect and will over the flesh, self-mastery of the human person in virtue, etc. in ultimate obedience to God who made us, who is the principle of all good. Nevzorov Haute Ecole in the terminal stage evolved into basically the opposite of dressage, absolutist anti-hierarchical, and puts the people in service of the horses almost like the horses are gods, almost like sacred Brahman cattle except with far more care and expensive accommodation for them than are afforded the famous cattle. It is absolutely impractical and useless for the humans, and even dangerous. I recall he was trying to get angry young stallions to show their passions even if they wanted to attack him. It is ultimately no good for the horses either. Horses are not gods. Humans unlike animals have intellect and will (in the image of God), and this is what makes for the beauty and excellence of partnership between human rider/trainer and the horse which accepts and cooperates docilely with this guidance. Horses thrive on intelligent good riding. It brings out the best in them. Humans thrive on self discipline and development in accord with sound moral and religious principles. It brings out the best in us!
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