Michelle Payne Learns How to 'Ride Like a Girl'

Horse racing is a very difficult sport and challenge, especially for a young woman like Michelle Payne.

Ride Like a Girl is a 2019 drama film that is based on the famous jockey, Michelle Payne, who was known for winning the Melbourne Cup in horse racing. The film was produced and released in Australia, as seen in the first few scenes. Michelle Payne’s recognition for her achievements brings some level of female representation, but it’s not very diverse since many of the main characters presented are white. Despite this, Ride Like a Girl has a strong supporting message to viewers about feminism.

Michelle Payne (Teresa Palmer) is the youngest of ten children. Her mother died in a car accident when she was only a few months old. After her mom’s death, her dad was in charge of the household. Michelle dreams of becoming a winning jockey at a young age. She pursues this dream by training to ride on her pet horse, as her family lives on a ranch.

Michelle Payne shares her inspiring story about how she became a winning female jockey in, Ride Like a Girl. As seen at the beginning of the film, there are archived clips of Michelle growing up in a large family in Australia. The archived clips are in black and white, showing viewers the time and setting. In addition, there are many captions in different scenes that indicate how time has passed in the film.

In one scene, Michelle Payne falls off her horse at Sandown Racecourse, she receives multiple injuries and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. The injuries show viewers how difficult horse racing can be, as it is a dangerous sport for those who have little to no experience.

Overall, Ride Like a Girl features some representation of women, as the film is focused on Michelle Payne. The film would be even better if it included a more diverse cast.