My name is Nikolay Nikolov, and I would like to share my impressions of a special place where horses are well cared for and have the chance to live happily in their natural environment. It is a wonderful corner of nature – refreshing, full of positive energy and lovely horses that respect people.

I had never been on a horse before. By chance, fate brought me to Zdravets Horse Riding Centre. The first thing that drew me to the centre was archery. After a few lessons from the owner of the centre, Zdravko Lesichkov, I became very accurate. I love trying new things, and I really enjoyed archery.

After archery, Zdravko told me about the Natural Horsemanship philosophy and about the emotions horses feel: fear, joy, sadness, tension, trust, excitement, curiosity and attachment – they can have fun and can even be jealous.
That is why we should never force them. At the heart of these true methods is not simply what you want the horse to do, but how you show it what you expect it to do. Treating the horse well is essential. He offered to show me and let me feel the joy of a true connection with a horse. I respect every living being, and this philosophy was very close to my own way of thinking.

He told me how ancient people rode without additional equipment, which makes them the first to practise free riding. Riders of that time kept their balance without stirrups and guided the horse without a bit in its mouth. Their bodies had to move in harmony with the horse’s body. Saddles had not yet been invented.

We went on talking about history – about the time when horses began to be used in battle and had to be more manoeuvrable on the battlefield. That is probably when the bit appeared – a metal bar placed in the horse’s mouth to make it easier to steer. It makes the horse very responsive, but it can also cause it great discomfort. Here Zdravko paused for a moment, looked at the horses in the arena and went on: on the battlefield, where a warrior’s life and the outcome of a battle depended largely on the horse’s agility, the stakes were very high.

Today we no longer use horses in battle. So why not choose gentler ways that keep the horse comfortable and happy?

We talked for a long time. He told me about the psychology and physiology of the horse and spoke about horses with incredible respect. It was fascinating; I learned many interesting facts and almost forgot the purpose of my visit – to ride a horse. Just listening to and watching these beautiful, majestic animals was enough for me. But the pleasant surprises were not over. I was invited to get on a horse without any additional equipment. Without a saddle I could feel every movement of the horse. At first I thought I would fall, but after a few laps of the arena I grew more and more confident. My legs had to hang as if I wanted to touch the ground, and my head had to be upright as if I wanted to touch the sky with it. I started doing balance exercises on the horse. The horse I rode was 18 years old, which surprised me a lot, because he looked better than young horses I have seen elsewhere. I was impressed by the care and calm all around us. Every horse was happy, relaxed and living in harmony with nature.

That day I noticed that the horse followed every one of Zdravko’s cues without any use of force. The horses loved him, followed him and trusted him. He was very attentive with them and spoke to them quietly and calmly – it was a pleasure to watch them.

The day passed pleasantly and quickly; it was full, refreshing and filled with positive energy. Thank you, and I hope Zdravko gains more and more followers of a kind and natural relationship between horses and people.

Nikolay Nikolov