"You know," I said quietly when we were to ourselves, "maybe this race isn't important to you, but it is to me, so I figure we best get to knowing each other quick. I'm Paul Logan, out of Georgia, and you need to know I've ridden a lot of fine horses, maybe some not as fine as you, maybe some better. Now, I know we don't know each other, but I understand from your rider, Eddie Hawks, you've got a real mind of your own. You like to win if you do it in your own way. Well, that's all right with me, long as you let me ride you and help you out a little bit. See, I figure to prove my daddy and Robert wrong. I figure to ride you, even though I don't know you, and Ole Grey, I figure to win."

—The Land,
Mildred D. Taylor

Explain why Paul has this conversation with the grey horse. What does it show about Paul, and how will this conversation affect the race?