I just wanted to relate two stories about a Hackney mare we had for many years. This was my special pet. She would follow me without a halter or lead. stand for long periods of time while I worked in the shop or on any project outdoors. Stood while I cut firewood, painted virtually anything I did "Tea" would be there beside or behind me. She would drive anyplace with slack lines and responded to voice commands to walk, trot, extended trot, easy (to slow down) stand, stretch up Gee, and Haw she did it all without a flick of the reins. Until my wife harnessed her up. When my wife tried to get in the cart she would step forward, side step whatever she could to unnerve her. then she would back up and not stop until she heard whoa. Cluck to her and back some more. My wife was never able to get that mare to go forward a single step. I drove her in many shows and took several reserve champion trophy's and boxes of ribbons before we retired her. This horse was like a dog rather than a horse but not for my wife. My oldest daughter got along great with her also. There was an instance during a snow storm. It was snowing one morning with a large accumulation already overnight. To our surprise schools were not closed so the girls got on the bus. The girls at the time were seven and nine years old. My wife and I both managed to leave for work in one vehicle (our only 4WD). All through the day it snowed more and more and by the time to go home the roads were impassable to all but 4WD trucks with good ground clearance. We made it home a bit late but safe. NO Kids, we were concerned about them being alone with no heat (we heated with a wood stove) and no close neighbors. We phoned the school principal at home and asked what was going on. School had been let out at 10:00 AM because of the inclement weather. We phoned the driver he had dropped them of because the car was in the drive and the driver assumed someone was home and had no idea of where they were. Near a state of panic we phoned the kids friends up top of the hill and they had not seen them. The girls knew they could not stay home alone since they were not allowed to take care of the fire and not capable of cooking much beyond a bowl of cereal or the equivalent. My oldest had gone out to the barn and got "Tea" out and put the harness on her, hooked her to the sleigh and the two girls drove down the road to the next farm where they were both comfortably watching television and eating brownies. Tea was in the barn in a calf pen eating some of the neighbors alfalfa. This is the same animal who would do nothing but back up for my wife.