Chennai, May 21 (IANS): The famous Marina beach in Chennai will soon have a horse riding school for children with nearly 100 horses being part of the project.

The Tamil Nadu Director General Of Police (DGP), C. Sylendra Babu has taken the initiative for the project along with the Tamil Nadu-based NGO, People for Animals (PFA).

Sylendra Babu, who is himself an avid horse rider, has put forth the idea and if the project materialises, 100 horses that are now being used for joy rides at the Marina beach will be roped in for teaching the basics of horse riding to children.

A 3-acre land of the Indian Coast Guard located behind the 'Amman Samadhi' at the Marina beach and a parcel of land located near the state police horse stable in Egmore are considered for building stables for the joy ride horses that will be part of the horse riding schools.

Many of the horses that are being used for joy rides in the Marina beach starved to death and several were down with ill-health as the owners were not able to feed them during the lockdown period due to Covid-19.

Several horses that are used for joy rides are roaming in the open as they don't have a shelter and have to face the scorching heat.

The PFA, according to its office bearers have insisted that no new horses should be allowed for the horse riding schools and the present 100 horses at the Marina beach be used for this purpose.

Shiranee Pereira, Co-founder of PFA told IANS: "We had requested the state government for a shelter to the horses and based on this a temporary shelter for the horses was arranged below the Mass Rapid Transit System at Sivananda Salai in Chennai. Chepauk MLA, Udhayanidhi Stalin arranged for drinking water to the horses."

The PFA activist said a permanent solution for the woes faced by the horses will be a horse riding school that is self sustainable and offers better living conditions for both the owners and the horses.

She added that the animals that are currently used for joy rides must be micro-chipped and the corporation should give licenses to the horse owners.

With the horse riding school coming up at the Marina beach, the problem of shelter and food to the horses is solved and the children will be able to learn the nuances and tricks of horse riding.

The support of the state police and the DGP has given a boost to the project which has been undertaken by the PFA several months before.