Riders on the storm: Horse riders as saviours for flood-hit Hyderabadis

By Mohammed Shafeeq Hyderabad, Oct 21 : The inundated colonies in flood-hit Hyderabad are witnessing a novel rescue and relief operation as horse riders have come forward as saviours to the marooned people.
Going door to door in Nadeem Colony and other inundated areas, the equestrians from Hyderabad Horse Riding School (HHRS) are providing food, milk, medicines and other essentials.
A group of 10-20 trained horse riders wearing HHRS uniform can be seen riding through the flooded lanes of Nadeem Colony, Neerja Colony, Balreddy Nagar and Virasat Nagar to extend a helping hand to the victims of one of the worst floods the city has ever seen.
HHRS president and chief trainer Mohammed Abdul Wahab is leading the group, divided into different teams. “Aur kisi ko kuch chahiye (Does anybody need anything else)?” he can be heard asking in a flooded street.
Abdul Wahab told IANS that while the school is engaged in various social service activities, this is the first time they are using horses for rescue and relief work.
As the heavy rains and flash floods left many areas in 4-5 feet water, carrying out relief work is not easy. “Horses are natural swimmers. History shows horses have helped warriors win the wars by swimming across rivers,” said Abdul Wahab, who planned the entire operation and execution by assigning the tasks to different teams of horse riders.