It's one month before Michele Smith and her faithful friend Romeo will make history.
For this kind of history, you have to be healthy. You have to be courageous. And then, you have to be kind of old.
When Smith, associate professor of Equestrian Students at William Woods University, and Romeo, her 27-year-old quarter horse, enter the show arena on the morning of Nov. 3, their combined ages will be 100. That makes them eligible for the Century Club, and recognized as such by The Dressage Foundation.
"He's 73 and I'm 27," Smith said, joking, then admitting it's the opposite. "He's arthritic and stiff. His walk-trot is not bad, but the canter just kills me."
This event will be at the college's fall dressage show. Smith can ride any test she chooses, from Intro level - which includes two walk/trot tests - on up. The U.S. Dressage Federation includes Introductory and Training levels, then progresses from first to fourth basic levels. International test levels are Prix St. Georges, Intermediate I and II, and Grand Prix (which is seen in Olympics dressage).
Smith will be riding a lower level.
"I'll probably decide at the last minute," she said. "Dressage isn't (Romeo's) forte, by a long shot."
That's because he's been an eventing horse during their partnership. Eventing, also an Olympic sport, includes three phases: Dressage, cross country endurance with jumps, and then stadium jumping. Smith said, as an eventer, Romeo only is expected to perform one dressage test and then get to the "fun stuff."
Not only will he do a dressage test Nov. 3, however, Smith said her goal is to ride it in a sidesaddle. In that unusual piece of saddlery, the rider's right leg is wrapped around a "fixed head" pommel, then drapes down the horse's left shoulder. That's the way "ladies" of old were expected to ride rather than astride. It's a special skill and requires balance and slightly different cues from rider to horse.
"I've had that side saddle since the early '70s," Smith said.
The daughter of a U.S. Air Force pilot, Smith spent her early years in Minnesota, but as typical of other military brats, the family often relocated. She always carried that fascination with horses.
"It's a lifelong passion," she said. "Every time we moved around, I'd find somebody with horses. I rode anything, then I was a barrel racer."
While she loves the hunter/jumper discipline, she has a more than fair bit of knowledge about all the equestrian sports.
"It was a matter of somebody had a horse they let me ride," Smith said, adding that included former track horses. "Along the way, there was marriage and two kids. There's still the marriage."
Smith remembers working as a child on a farm, hand-milking dairy cows in exchange for rides on the farmer's work horses. She said she never made a conscious decision to spend her life's work in equestrian pursuits - but that's what happened.
"I cannot imagine my life without horses," she said. "I taught (horse riding) privately, but I never thought I would fall into this type of situation."
This type of situation is being able to teach and nurture young students also dreaming of a life with horses, whether they make it a profession or an adult amateur passion.
"I enjoy teaching and I like being here at William Woods; this is an outstanding program," Smith said. "It give kids opportunities to be around all kinds of horses and (riding disciplines). Not every place offers that."
Smith began teaching at William Woods in 1981-87, and then took a non-horse job for a couple of years. She later worked in the equestrian program at Stephens College (Columbia) and retired from that about 17 years later - or so she thought. Despite the fact she and her husband, Phil, have their own farm, her retirement was unsuccessful.
"I came back to William Woods in 2010 to teach a few classes, and now I'm back to teaching full time," she added.
The Nov. 3-4 dressage show at William Woods, which is open to the public, is not the only thing happening that weekend.
"I will have horses in a St. Louis show, too," Smith said. "After I ride Saturday morning, I will be going back to St. Louis."
She's also taking a group of 11 WWU students to Afton, Virginia, to foxhunt at Tea Time Farm, the home of writer Rita Mae Brown.
"She raised hounds and beagles and she's a master (of the hounds) out there," Smith added. "The kids get a real good education, and the members of the Oakridge Hunt are absolutely outstanding. We go every other year."
On the day of her Century ride, Smith will be thinking about Romeo and their partnership over the years.
"I think for me, it's more about Romeo - the age he is, and he can still do that," she said.
But she won't stress him out.
"He has been a super horse - a pleasure to be around and always willing," she said. "I totally trust that horse, and hopefully, he trusts me."
She said she also appreciates her husband Phil's help, who quickly sent her a text on Wednesday when the weather turned hot, humid and windy.
"He said the horses have hay left over and water, and everybody's fine," Smith laughed. "I get updates like that all the time."
This Saturday, there will be a hunter/jumper show at William Woods and a tack sale.
"This weekend, he'll make all the chili," she said. "He makes the best chili."
She isn't sure what happens after the Century Club ride - maybe there will be a certificate or something. Showing in itself has a higher purpose.
"Whether I get a ribbon, it makes no difference to me. It's about having fun," Smith said. "It will obviously be very satisfactory. I think I'm more excited about it than Romeo is."
Maybe when Smith can't ride anymore, she'll take up carriage driving.
"My goal is just to continue to ride, or to just continue to be active with a horse," she said. "I can't imagine not getting up and mucking stalls."