Rise Animal Wellness and Rehabilitation

09/02/2026

Walker says, “If the bones are good, the rest does matter 💪”

09/02/2026

We’re excited to be at the Margre Durham Walk and Dog Fest September 27! (Time FLIES 🪽🗓️🪽… 1. How is it already September, and 2. HOW is this already year 4 of Rise getting to support this awesome NHS event 🤯)

Stop by and say hi at a fun dog-friendly community event!

08/26/2026

Dr. Marisa Henry will be working at the End of Summer at Quail Run show this weekend, providing physical therapy services for both the equine and equestrian athletes! Aug 27-30 🐴

Horse shows place unique physical demands on both horses and riders. Repeated classes, travel, footing changes, and long days can lead to acute soreness, stiffness, and muscle fatigue - even in well conditioned athletes. Physical therapy during a show can help address these issues early by:

💆‍♀️ Reducing muscle tension and post-competition soreness
🔄 Improving circulation and recovery between classes
🐎 Restoring normal movement patterns after hard efforts
🧘‍♀️ Supporting joint mobility and soft tissue health
🏇 Helping riders stay balanced, comfortable, and effective in the saddle

Addressing soreness promptly can improve comfort, performance, and consistency, while also helping prevent compensatory movement patterns that may increase injury risk.

📩 Appointments are available during the show - please contact us at (402)226-8992 (text or call!) to get on the schedule.

We're looking forward to seeing familiar faces, meeting new clients, and enjoying some Nebraska sunshine while supporting horses and riders in a great local show!

See you ringside! 🏇

08/12/2026

It is always exciting to put together clinics with our local barns! Looking forward to this one next Friday August 21st! Focused on the rider as an athlete and half of the partnership with our horses. If you are in town and available, we would love to see you there!

🐴💜You’re Invited to Ashley Mason Equestrian!

Our next AME Presents event is open to the public, and we’d love to welcome riders, horse owners, trainers, parents, and anyone interested in learning more about the equestrian athlete!

AME Presents: The Rider as an Athlete

We spend so much time thinking about our horses as athletes—their strength, soundness, conditioning, recovery, and overall well-being.

But the rider is an athlete, too.

Join Marisa Henry, PT, DPT, PhD for an educational evening exploring how our own bodies influence what happens in the saddle.

We’ll take a closer look at how strength, mobility, balance, previous injuries, asymmetries, and movement patterns can affect our position, effectiveness, performance, and partnership with our horses.

Whether you ride competitively, enjoy horses recreationally, are a trainer or instructor, or simply want to better understand the physical demands of riding, you are welcome to join us!

📅 August 21
⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM
💲 $40 per person
📍 Ashley Mason Equestrian | Omaha, NE

You do not need to be an Ashley Mason Equestrian client to attend. AME Presents was created to bring quality educational opportunities to our greater horse community, and we would love to have you at the barn!

👉 Reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/4xfNjEV

Two Bodies. One Partnership. Keep Both in Balance. 💜

08/08/2026

Dr. Marisa is Home and Accepting Appointments!

If you've been thinking about scheduling your horse for a physical therapy evaluation, now is a great time! Dr. Marisa Henry, PT, DPT, PhD is back in Nebraska for the next couple of weeks and has appointment availability before heading back out on the road.

As a dual licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Dr. Marisa specializes in helping horses and riders move more efficiently, recover from injury, improve athletic performance, and maintain long-term soundness. Physical therapy isn't just for rehabilitation—it's also an excellent way to identify subtle movement restrictions before they develop into larger issues and to support horses throughout every stage of their athletic careers.

Each session begins with a comprehensive movement evaluation and is tailored to your horse's individual needs and goals. Depending on your horse, treatment may include:
🐴 Manual therapy and soft tissue techniques
🦴 Joint mobilization
💪 Individualized therapeutic exercises
⚖️ Balance, core strengthening, and conditioning programs
🔦 Therapeutic modalities, including laser therapy when indicated
📋 Progressive rehabilitation and return-to-work planning in collaboration with your veterinarian

Whether you or your horse are recovering from an injury, returning to exercise, competing throughout the summer, or simply needs a "tune-up" to stay comfortable and performing at their best, physical therapy can play an important role in their overall health and longevity.

📅 Appointments are available over the next couple of weeks but are limited.

📩 Send us a message or call/text (402) 226-8992 to schedule or learn more about how equine physical therapy can benefit you or your horse.

08/07/2026

What an Incredible Trip to Traverse City!

As another unforgettable trip comes to a close, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made GLEF IV/V and the North American Youth Championships (NAYC) such a rewarding experience. It was a privilege to work alongside so many talented horses, riders, trainers, owners, and support teams throughout the week.

One of the highlights for me was having the opportunity to work with an incredible group of dressage horses and riders. As someone who enjoys working across disciplines, it was exciting to help support these athletes as they prepared for and recovered from their performances. Every discipline places unique demands on horse and rider, and it's always rewarding to be part of helping each partnership perform at its best.

This trip also marked a personal milestone. For the first time, I had the opportunity to practice within the FEI stabling, providing physical therapy services for riders competing at NAYC.

I'm also excited to share that I'm continuing to work toward obtaining my FEI Permitted Equine Therapist (PET) credential. This credential will allow me to provide care for horses housed within FEI stabling at future international competitions, and I'm looking forward to expanding the ways I can support horse-and-rider teams at these events.

Congratulations to all of the horses and riders who competed! Your hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship were inspiring to watch, and it was a pleasure to witness so many outstanding performances and accomplishments throughout the competition.

The road trip wasn’t over just yet! Before heading home to Nebraska, I made a quick stop in Indianapolis to work with horses and riders as they continue preparing for the remainder of the show season. I'm looking forward to seeing how these partnerships progress and stay healthy, strong, and performing at their best.

We've included photos of just a few of the incredible horse-and-rider pairs we had the privilege of working with this week. Thank you for trusting me to be part of your team—I truly appreciate the opportunity to support your goals and celebrate your successes.
I'm already looking forward to seeing many of you again down the road. Until then, safe travels home, congratulations on an amazing week, and best of luck with the rest of your season!

08/05/2026

Many of you probably already know Hank, but let us reintroduce you!

Hank was referred to us when he was only eight weeks old after an accident that resulted in a compression fracture of his T11 vertebra.

At his initial exam, we observed significant bilateral hindlimb paresis, absent proprioceptive reflexes, bowel/bladder incontinence, and limited functional mobility. Hank started weekly in-clinic physical therapy and began a personalized home exercise program that focused on sensory stimulation and improving functional strength.

We noticed marked improvements in his strength and mobility, and he graduated from in-clinic physical therapy after two months. Shortly after graduating, Hank started to regress. He was referred to Dr. Donaldson, an amazing local veterinary neurologist at VCA Midwest Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Omaha, where an MRI revealed a large cystic lesion in the spinal canal directly behind the healed fracture site. The neurologist prescribed new medications and recommended that Hank continue physical therapy long-term.

Today Hank is a very active 7-month-old puppy. He navigates the world exceptionally well despite his ongoing neurologic deficits thanks to his devoted family and care team, including his physical and occupational therapists who provide the tools Hank needs to maintain his independence and confidence.

Enjoy a “Then and Now” video of this sweet boy!

07/28/2026

Meet Splash: Part 2

Splash is the sweetest and happiest boy! His recovery took time, patience, and a lot of support from his family and medical team. After four surgeries and four months of physical therapy, Splash achieved more than we could have hoped for. He went from struggling to stand and walk to playing and running with his housemates.

His specialized rehabilitation program included:

1. Laser therapy: We used our class IV laser to decrease myofascial and post-operative pain and to stimulate tissue healing after each surgery.

2. Manual therapy: In the physical therapy world, our hands are our two most important tools! We used a variety of hands-on techniques to decrease pain and swelling, improve joint mobility, improve soft tissue extensibility, and improve proprioception and muscle recruitment.

3. Land-based therapeutic exercise: PTs and OTs prescribe exercises that build simple postures and movements into more complex movements that translate directly to the functional activities a dog participates in during daily life. Splash spent so much of his early life standing in a hunched and crouched posture; we started with building strength in a square standing position and slowly progressed to step-ups, cavalettis, balance exercises, and more!

4. Aquatic therapeutic exercises: We could write a whole series on the benefits of aquatic therapy! We got Splash into the water as soon as his surgeon cleared his incisions. We used the properties of water to both support and challenge Splash depending on the stage of recovery and the exercise. Did you know the underwater treadmill isn’t only for walking?

If you made it this far, let us know in the comments what questions you have, and be on the lookout for a future post focused on the benefits of aquatic therapy!

07/24/2026

Meet Splash: Part 1

Splash underwent orthopedic surgery on all four limbs, including bilateral shoulder osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) removal and bilateral patellar luxation repair at Sirius Veterinary Orthopedic Center. His recovery included four months of intensive rehabilitation with us at Rise AWR. While these short clips may show a dog doing normal dog things, they are actually huge wins for this special guy! 💪

We met Splash at Rise AWR in October of 2025 when he was referred to us for a crouched hindlimb gait. At his initial exam, we observed a 1-year-old dog who was unable to stand for long periods, walked in a crouched posture, could not fully extend his hindlimbs, and had to drag himself from a down position to a standing position.

We felt he would benefit most from an orthopedic consult and referred him to Sirius. The specialists there determined major surgical intervention was necessary. Once all four operations were complete, Splash returned to Rise for physical therapy.

Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn about the interventions we utilized in his recovery.

Hudson Aquatic Systems, LLC. Cato Outdoors

03/30/2026

🐎 Upcoming Equestrian Show Schedule + Interest Check! 🐎

We’re excited to share our current show schedule for the upcoming months and where you can find Rise Animal Wellness and Rehabilitation on the road!

✨ Planned Shows✨
• Omaha Equestrian Preview | April 16–19
• Omaha Equestrian Spectacular | April 23–26
• Springtime Sunshine at Quail Run | May 28–31
• Aiken Summer Classic I | June 10–14
• Aiken Summer Classic II | June 17–21

We’re looking forward to supporting horses and riders at these shows—helping with performance, recovery, and keeping everyone feeling their best during busy competition weeks.

We’re also considering adding a few more shows to the schedule and would love to know if there’s interest:
• Memphis in May I | April 30–May 3
• Memphis in May II | May 6–10
• Adult Hunter Championships (Lexington, KY) | June 24–28

If you’ll be at any of these—or if there are other shows you’d like us to consider traveling to—please send us a direct message or a text to (402)226-8992! Your input helps us plan our schedule and make sure we’re where you need us most.

We love being on the road, working with both horses and riders, and being part of your show team. Looking forward to seeing many of you soon! 💪🐎