'It felt like a miracle': S.M.I.L.E. program offers patients support, structure

Twice a week, Mewhirter brings her 12-year-old daughter, Jamie, to S.M.I.L.E., a therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with special needs. Jamie has scoliosis of the spine. Learning to ride properly has helped with her posture, because she is reminded to sit up straight. These posture improvements have carried over into her other daily activities. Since the human body movement while riding a horse is very similar to walking, riders with physical disabilities often show increased flexibility, balance and muscle tone.

Benefits of therapeutic riding lessons carry over into everyday life activities, yet the time spent learning to ride never feels like therapy," according to participants.

“We don’t use the word ‘therapy,’” said Patty Prauner, director of the nonprofit that gives lessons to about 135 riders each week. “Riding lessons teach children all sorts of physical and mental skills, and it doesn’t feel like work or an abstract lesson,” Prauner said.

S.M.I.L.E. (Stephanie’s Miracles in Loving Equine) had its start over 25 years ago at Patty and her husband Brad Prauner’s farm, just minutes away from where the program operates today. A cousin had stopped by to visit and brought along her severely physically handicapped daughter, Stephanie. Prauner explained that Stephanie’s elbows and fists were always clenched tight to her chest. Prauner offered to help her do something fun by learning a little about riding a horse. Soon after getting up on to the pony named Blacky, Stephanie’s arms and hands relaxed as she stroked the horse’s neck.

The idea for S.M.I.L.E. began to develop more than 25 years ago when director Patty Prauner introduced her cousin's five-year- old daughter, Stephanie, to a little pony named Blacky.

After being in the saddle for only a short time, Stephanie's clenched arms began to relax. Patty Prauner was amazed that simply being on a horse could have such a positive effect, Stephanie has been riding with S.M.I.L.E.'s assistance ever since.

“It felt like a miracle,” Prauner said. “I’m just passing along what I know and love. God does the rest.”

And the “miracles” have continued. Several years ago, by chance, while attending a family reunion, Prauner was encouraged to contact a distant cousin in California. The man had just lost his mother to cancer and was looking for a meaningful way to honor his mom’s life. The result was a major gift that enabled the Prauners to build new covered arenas for prepping the horses and providing lessons.

The S.M.I.L.E. program got a huge boost when it received a major gift in memory of Patty Prauner's aunt. It enabled the Prauners to build a covered arenas for prepping and lessons 

The covered arena makes it possible to contiune serving children with disabilities in a wider range of weather conditions.

S.M.I.L.E. also has enjoyed support from the Norfolk Area Community Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation. When you visit the facilities, you’ll find lovely flowering landscapes, tidy places to wait and watch from the porch, and smiles. Lots and lots of smiles. After first learning about the program, NCF staff made the trip to northeast Nebraska to find out what it was all about. We can report without any reservation, this program is all about smiles.

When you visit you'll find pots of flowers, lovely landscapes, a tidy place to watch and wait, but mostly, lots of smiles.

We met an 18-year-old girl named Emilia. It was her first day at S.M.I.L.E.

On Emilia's first day at S.M.I.L.E. she quickly overcame her fears of physical contact.

Emilia was adopted at age six from Romania where she had been in several orphanages and foster homes. She was sensory deprived, and according to her mother, that experience resulted in many developmental challenges. She could become very frightened of familiar objects and often avoided touch.

Patty Prauner teaches Emelia how to harness and saddle a horse.

Within a few moments Emelia is loving her lesson with Patty Prauner.

Moments into her first lesson, Emilia was “dressing” her horse, carefully folding its ears down to allow the bridle to slip into place. Prauner guided Emilia’s hands as she helped place the saddle and tightened the cinch. Then up in the saddle and away she went with Prauner taking the lead.

“I like this mom! This is fun!” she cried out. Mom slowly shook her head in disbelief.

This summer marks the third season Kim Mewhirter’s daughter, Jamie, has been riding at S.M.I.L.E. In addition to scoliosis, Jamie is also diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome. PWS is a complex genetic disorder affecting appetite, growth, metabolism, cognitive function and behavior. In addition to these and other developmental problems, people with the disorder suffer from chronic feelings of insatiable hunger and a slowed metabolism that can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity. Those who have PWS often need intervention and strict external controls to maintain normal weight and to help save their lives.

Kim Mewhirter appreciates the worry-free environment where Jamie has gained some independence because there is no food on site. Instead, there is structure that helps kids with conditions like Jamie’s.

 Jamie Mewhirter is experiencing new independence and constant kindness at S.M.I.L.E., while learning important social and behavior skills.

“Having a very set routine of brushing the horse, gathering up the equipment, harnessing her horse, and always having the same saddle has a calming effect,” Mewhirter said.

Riding lessons have carried over into lessons Jamie can apply at home or at school. “Her overall decision-making skills have improved,” Mewhirter said. “She’s much more responsible, because she understands consequences. An example is learning to speak with an ‘inside voice’ rather than a loud voice around her horse, Q. She learned that loud noises and sudden moves frightened the horses. Her speaking behaviors in school have improved dramatically.”

Mewhirter said now that Jamie is in middle school she is facing increased social challenges. She loves her horse because she knows Q will always be kind, and there is no chance of hearing any mean words spoken when she is riding her horse at S.M.I.L.E.

“As a mom, having S.M.I.L.E. twice a week gives me a break. It is so good to see her working with other people. I don’t get to really see that when she’s at school. I see her doing her best, with a smile on her face, and that’s really something for a mom!

“It’s just a good time, and I’m always ready to go twice a week! Every day at S.M.I.L.E. is a great day, and the people who work and volunteer there are all great people!” Mewhirter said.

Patty Prauner agrees. “It’s awesome to watch the young people you’ve trained, and to see them really demonstrating everything they have learned. It’s not always easy to find a young person with the passion and the patience required to help someone else.”

Generally, volunteers are about 14 years old when they start as trainees; many have the goal of becoming a regular instructor. Currently, S.M.I.L.E. has five paid instructors. Prauner also works as an instructor, but on a volunteer basis. She said it took several years before she felt comfortable enough to step aside and not be present at all times. 

S.M.I.L.E. volunteers other start at about the age 14 with the intent of becoming regular staff traniers.

“The herd is getting older, so we’re looking for horses that are 8-10 years old to replace the older ones. But the price of horses is skyrocketing,” Prauner said.