Out of bed at 5 a.m., Marilyn Payne heads straight to the barn, making sure everything is in order. Then she cleans seven stalls before starting to give lessons that can run as late as 8 p.m.
For decades, that structured regimen has been the same whenever she’s at her Applewood Farm in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
Explaining why she is so dedicated to the early morning part of her process, Payne explained, “It’s an automatic routine. You get all that done and you feel really good. You accomplished something already.”
Even at age 73, this grandmother’s energy and fascination with horses has never dimmed. She and her husband, Dick, have passed that on to the next generation. Their son, Doug Payne, was the highest-placed U.S. eventer at the Olympics last year, finishing 16th in Tokyo. Daughter Holly Payne Caravella also is an accomplished eventer and professional trainer.
Payne’s equestrian involvement began at age 12. She often would peddle her bicycle for an hour to get to Union County’s Watchung Stable in New Jersey, where she took lessons. With six children in the family, her parents didn’t have time to drive Marilyn to the horses she loved, so she found her own way.
Such self-reliance and discipline were key
