Life As I Know It by Michelle Payne Page A

Sunny Glow behind the four-wheel drive in The 40-Acre Paddock, telling both Cathy and me to take turns in riding him just behind the car. Cathy or I wouldstart him off, cantering behind the car, but neither of us would get far; he’d just go flying past the car. He’d gallop flat out for a lap, about 1800 metres around. By the time we stopped, Dad would be going mad.
    â€˜What happened? I told you to stay behind the car.’
    â€˜Dad,’ we’d say each time, ‘he’s going to run into the back of the car if we do.’
    â€˜He won’t run into the back of the car.’
    â€˜He will, Dad.’ He would send us back out next time and once again we’d fly past the car. Dad got so angry. After a few goes at this he came up with a plan.
    I’d drive, even though I didn’t have a licence, Cathy would ride and he’d sit on the back of the car with its tray down. He was going to shoo him away from the back of the car if he got too close. As we got to cruising speed I looked back in disbelief—Sunny Glow was galloping all over the tray at the back of the car, right near Dad’s legs, which were hanging over it, and Dad was unable to do anything to stop him.
    Cathy was completely out of control. I was in shock, and I didn’t think to drive faster. They were yelling, ‘Speed up! Speed up!’ So off I went.
    Thankfully both the horse and rider were okay when we came to a stop. Cathy and I just looked at each other. Dad was shaking his head.
    â€˜Well, I didn’t think he would do that.’
    â€˜We told you he would, Dad.’ It was one of the only times I’ve seen Dad beaten.
    â€˜Who’d have thought?’ he kept saying, ‘that a horse would run into the back of a car.’ We didn’t try it again.
    After I left Loreto I felt I was ready to ride in a race and in February 2001 Dad agreed to let me. He put me on Reigning in a very average 2200-metre race at Ballarat.
    The days leading up to the race passed slowly. I would be on a gentle giant, seventeen-hands high, trained by my dad; I was nervous and excited. I didn’t sleep well maybe for a week before—running the race over and over in my head, thinking of how I wanted to ride a horse I knew so well. I ran the course every day the week before, planning my race, imagining what I would do at what point.
    Sitting in the barriers before the race I must have looked really anxious. My barrier attendant was Darren Browell.
    â€˜Just take a deep breath,’ he said to me. ‘It’ll be okay.’
    I’ve never forgotten that, it’s something that’s stuck in my head my whole career. Even to this day, whenever I feel a bit nervous, I say to myself, ‘It’ll be okay.’
    The gates opened and away we went. Reigning went to the lead and travelled beautifully in front. I took him easy up the hill and let him slide down it as I strode along the back straight. Approaching the 1000-metre mark I allowed him to quicken slightly. He was a big striding horse and a bit of a lazy bugger, so I felt if he had a bit of a break it might encourage him to try a bit harder. When I turned for home and balanced him up I increased to full speed. He lengthened beautifully and went on to win by three lengths.
    My school friends from Loreto College were cheering me over the line. I was so thrilled the girls were there. It really was a fairytale start to my career in the saddle. Dad looked really pleased, and maybe a little surprised.
    Suddenly I was getting offers from all over the place.

8
In the saddle
    W HEN YOU FIRST become an apprentice you can claim 3 kilograms, which makes you attractive to some trainers. It means if a horse is handicapped to carry 59 kilograms, you can ride that horse if you are 56 kilograms. The less weight a horse has to carry the easier it is for it to run. It’s a trade off. You are less experienced but the horse carries less weight. So, after my