Sen penned a letter to Mayor Patil after finding a horse named Rajiv, collapsed from exhaustion on the side of the road. Rajiv, who was dehydrated, emaciated, and had sores all over his body, died several days after being rescued. Rajiv is just one of many horses forced to give rides under the hot sun at the beach. The horses are made to run fast and are worked for hours without any breaks for cooling down or drinking water.
Horses suffering from heat stress and dehydration can die in just a few hours.
Carriage horses also routinely suffer at the hands of untrained drivers who refuse to recognize lameness or do not seek veterinary care or remove an injured or sick horse from service for a few days. A copy of Riya Sen's letter is enclosed.