The students of our School have known for some time that Alexander Nevzorov does not ride horses any more, and in fact he has not been on horseback for more than two years. The explanation for this evolution is best explained in his own words, taken from a recent presentation in St. Petersburg:
I can openly say for the first time (with sadness, but really frankly) that if we are honest with ourselves and if we have respect for other living beings, if we rely solely on scientifically sound and accurate data, we have to recognize that the anatomy of the horse (no matter who is on horseback: a child, a Haute Ecole master or an athlete) leaves no possibility for riding. There can no riding – no need to fool your head – not for five minutes or ten minutes.
Riding is always a huge problem for the horse’s spine and spinal cord, and the muscles cutaneus scapulobrachialis, and cutaneus maximus – those subcutaneous muscles that take the first blow. I can say that after riding, the restoration of the horse to a relatively normal state of the back, with restored blood flow in some muscles, takes more than a year. I understand that to some extent these unpleasant words will probably turn away many from the school; but for those who come in the hope to achieve an extraordinary relationship with the horse, no, you can not ride anymore.
The sadness is due to the fact that I regret my own name is associated with riding on horseback (despite some unique achievement in this area), and the fact that I, wittingly or unwittingly, have done very much to popularize this extremely disgusting fun. I now regret it, but, as I always say: well, of course, I was not born with the knowledge that I have at the moment. But, alas, I am to get this knowledge and also to work as icebreaker for the whole School, because I am involuntarily leading the way, breaking the terrible ice of errors and delusions.
The school must progress with the teacher; riding is no longer admissible for the students of NHE; not even collected and not even for five minutes, it is senseless to think we can fight for Horse Revolution, and still ride on horseback.