What did the President of East India Company at Bombay do to four useless, worthless horses? He gifted them to eminent natives. Here is an interesting extract from the consultation of Bombay Council meeting held on Friday, 22^nd May 1724 –

“…. There being four horses in the stables altogether unserviceable, and if offered to sale not likely to fetch anything, the President proposes presenting them to four of the most considerable Banian Merchants on the Island, which may be courteously  taken, and to render them the more acceptable offers the dressing of them with a yard and a half of Red cloth, which the Board agreeing to, the Warehouse-keeper is hereby directed to issue six yards for that purpose to be presented on His Majesties Birthday the 28^th instant.”

But Natives cannot use horse hackeries

Somewhere along the way, natives were barred from using horse hackeries and thus could use only bullock or donkey driven hackeries. Moreover, their hackeries were allowed into the Fort only through the Bazar Gate. In 1784, a group of prominent inhabitants appealed against these restrictions. The consultation of the Board meeting held on 4^th May 1784 records –

“….. a petition from the principal merchants of this Island praying that the late regulations respecting the natives not using palankeens or horse hackeries may be countermanded, & that the restriction of passing in hackeries by any of the gates excepting the bazar one may be taken off :
…..
The Board having taken into consideration the above petition ….. do unanimously resolve to reject every part of the former except that respecting the gate, and as our granting them an indulgence may not be attended with any particular inconvenience, it is resolved that in future the native inhabitants be permitted to pass & repass in their hackeries at the Church Gate as well as at the Bazar Gate. This indulgence to be continued to them only whilst they do not abuse it, & not do extend to carts except those already licensed.”

Addendum:

Situation of natives in this regard seems to have changed for the better in the next half-century or so as is evident from the following extract from the book by Miss Emma Roberts who travelled to Bombay in 1839:

“The higher classes of natives have adopted European equipages, and are the owners of the handsomest carriages and horses in Bombay. Chariots, barouches, britschkas, and buggies, appear in great numbers, filled with Mohamedan, Hindu, or Parsee gentlemen. The less fashionable use the palanquin carriage, common in Bengal, but which at this place is called a shigram; these are often crammed full of servants and children.”