GREEN; YELLOW SLEEVES, BELT, AND CAP 



when he carried his master did not consider it his 

 duty to play at winning the National. Very much on 

 the contrary, with remarkable intelligence he speedily 

 learned what was wanted of him, and if a particularly 

 awkward fence was reached this sensible creature would 

 obey his rider's hint to pull up, would allow him to 

 scramble through the too awkward obstacle, and then, 

 himself jumping it, would placidly wait to be re- 

 mounted. When the old horse got beyond this, or 

 perhaps it should be said when Mr. Bibby gave up the 

 hounds, Kirkland with a few companions enjoyed a 

 luxurious old age until the war came to upset every- 

 thing, including equine pensioners. Then his master 

 decided that the kindest thing to do was to have him 

 shot, and Kirkland died a painless death, his name being 

 written big in Turf history. 



Before leaving Kirkland I am glad to be able to give 

 an interesting story with regard to him, which Colonel 

 Lort-Phillips has kindly sent me. It is in connection 

 with Mason, who for a number of years did such excel- 

 lent service for the colours. The Colonel writes : 

 "Mason's first ride for us was at Clonmel in 190 1. I 

 had taken a four-year-old — Semi Colon — over to run 

 and a stable boy to ride her, but as the boy had no Irish 

 licence the Clerk of the Scales of course would not pass 

 him when he went to weigh. I didn't know what to do, 

 but turning around saw a youth, who had ridden in the 

 last race, beginning to change. I said 'Will you ride 



