St. Petersburg is truly a city of horses – they do not only dominate its facades and decorate its embankments but are an integral part of its history. The city was founded in 1703, and by 1766 the first Russian equestrian tournament took place

When Elena Esina first saw Gulliver nine years ago, it was love at first sight. Elena's been horse riding for years but has never been interested in competitive equestrian sports. So she got out of the saddle, ditched the bridle and her relationship with Gulliver took a different turn.

“There's nothing special to it. Someone who loves a horse and understands it well won't choose any other way of communicating with it,” she says.

Elena spoils Gulliver with toys but it's not all horse play. The training she does was developed by one man – Aleksandr Nevzorov. Once a leading figure in Russian television journalism, Nevzorov has swapped the media for horses. Together with his wife Lydia, he's set up a horse training school and has become a fierce critic of what he calls a horse's worst enemy – equestrian sports.

“A horse is not an entertainment tool. It's not something you can use to spend your free time or to practice sports. It's a creature of amazing intellect and abilities that deserves a completely different treatment,” believes Aleksandr.

And he practices what he preaches. Nevzorov took up the purest form of classical riding – Haute Ecole or High School. The moves are not new but Nevzorov's way of teaching them to his horses is considered innovative in the equestrian world. He insists on not using a bridle and ensuring the horse is completely free – challenging long-established ways of riding.

The bridle has for centuries been used to steer and stop the horse, the spurs or the whip are also traditionally seen in equestrian sports. For Nevzorov they are all instruments of torture, an artificial way to force a horse to obey by causing extreme pain.

But while it's no secret that equestrian sports often push horses to the limit, professional riders deny Nevzorov's accusations of deliberate cruelty, dismissing his work as a circus show.

“There's no way of forcing a horse to work. You can beat it or kill it, but you can't force it. Watch the competitions – a horse works with a spark. If there's no spark, it won't do anything,” Gennady Seleznev, President of Russia's Federation of Equestrian Sport.

Russian equestrian sports had a downturn after the collapse of the USSR. But they are now regaining popularity and this riding centre is part of their revival.

The ambition here is to bring Russian riders onto international podiums and to Olympic glory. Like Marina Vorobyeva, is already riding high at competitions home and abroad. What began as her hobby 15 years ago has now become her life.

“Your horse becomes your friend, your trusted partner that helps you and supports you in what you do. Nevzorov is doing his thing and we are doing ours,” she says.

While for professional riders sport is the only possible kind of horsemanship, for Nevzorov and his followers it's a road to nowhere. And they believe it's only a matter of time before equestrian sports become a thing of the past.