SWISHER — Spearheaded by Vern Upmeyer in 1988, Miracles in Motion, based in Swisher, provides countless benefits for riders from Linn, Johnson, and surrounding Eastern Iowa counties.
“Vern Upmeyer was very instrumental in everything horsemanship,” said Deb Leichsenring, Executive Director of Miracles In Motion.
Leichsenring said that Upmeyer was inspired by a young girl named Andy, whom he met in 1988.
“Andy was very young at this point, and she was standing at the corral and watching the horses,” said Leichsenring. Vern knew Andy’s mother and told her that he had been looking into therapeutic riding for individuals that had a disability. “He told her, ‘If you trust me to put Andy on a horse, I promise you I can keep her safe,’” Leichsenring said. “And that was the beginning of Miracles in Motion back in 1988. We’ve been around for 37 years, and it started with Andy.”
Leichsenring said that each rider comes in with a different disability and skill set, as well as a medical release from their doctor to safely participate in programs. For each rider on a horse, there is a horse leader, two side walkers, and an instructor.
“So the horse leader is really responsible for the horse and the two side walkers are responsible for keeping the individuals safe in the saddle,” Leichsenring said.
Besides the horse leader and side walkers, an instructor helps guide each Miracles in Motion session. Each instructor has earned Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) certification, and Miracles in Motion has been a PATH center ever since it was founded. The organization is the only premier PATH center in the state of Iowa. This means that the organization is audited and follows over 130 safety standards.
“We are very proud of how we run this center and it has to do with not only our volunteers, but our horses, the training our instructors go through, and what training our volunteers go through,” said Leichsenring. “There’s just so many moving parts of keeping this center to a very high standard and very safe for everyone.”
What’s special about Miracles in Motion is that the organization offers programs for children, adults, and veterans. While most programs do include riding, there are also ground classes for those unable or uncomfortable mounting a horse.
Miracles in Motions provides hippotherapy (incorporating occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech pathology with equine movement as a therapy tool for the sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems) , adaptive horsemanship, adapting riding classes, and Military Veterans Equine Care Squad (MVECS).
“Adaptive horsemanship, which is a ground class, teaches people an introduction to the horse, so it teaches them how to halter a horse, how to lead a horse, parts of the horse, and a lot of different education about the horse,” Leichsenring said.
Besides physical disabilities, the organization also serves those with mental disabilities, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, through the Connect class.
“The very first time we had somebody out here with dementia, it was before we even thought about doing a class, and a young woman wanted her mother to groom a horse before she lost that memory of it,” said Leichsenring. “I’ll never forget it. When she started, she kind of had this stoic look on her face. Didn’t talk too much, and then as she was grooming Jet, her facial expression changed, and she started communicating to her daughter. It’s like her demeanor changed. And that’s where we realized that people that are going through these diseases can benefit from just grooming or being near a horse. And that’s when we launched the Connect class.”
Success stories like these and many others are only made possible by the many volunteers and donors that dedicate their time and energy to the organization. Volunteers spend a combined 15,000 hours with Miracles in Motion, caring for the horses, facilities, training, and running programs. Recently, an anonymous donor helped provide funds to complete the building of a new barn. The new barn has larger stalls for the horses, a training room for volunteers, a laundry room, and machine shed.
Leichsenring said that the organization is deeply grateful for all those who volunteer their time and energy working with Miracles in Motion, and the donors who keep the facilities and programs up and running financially. For those who want to get involved with Miracles in Motion, visit their website at miraclesinmotion.com or call (319) 857-4141.