Southern Arizona Equine Rehabilitation - SAER

03/28/2026

Nova
The Horse Who Changed My Hands

Nova came to me in September 2024 through a sheriff’s department seizure case involving neglect and abuse. Veterinary assessment placed her in her mid 20s.

During her time with me, I uncovered a significant, chronic injury to her front hoof that had resulted in permanent deformation.

As she began to regain strength and bear weight, her movement was closely monitored to prioritize comfort and minimize compensation patterns. Despite everything her body had endured, she adapted in ways that were both humbling and educational.

In the last chapter of her life, Nova got to simply be a horse. She met her best friend Ana and became a granny to her besties baby, Jet. They were inseparable.

As her comfort declined, we made the decision to let her go on a good day… something I will always advocate for. Quality of life should never be an afterthought.

Nova’s legacy goes far beyond her time here. Through her, and through the opportunity to study her body post mortem, I gained a deeper, more clinical understanding of how structure, compensation, and chronic injury shape the equine body. Muscles, tendons, fascia, and neural pathways don’t function in isolation, they adapt together, and sometimes at a cost.

She changed the way I approach bodywork. Every session I do now carries a piece of what she taught me… to look deeper, to listen more closely, and to work with intention.

Thank you, Nova. Your time here was short, but your impact was lasting. You will always be a part of every horse I lay hands on.

I love you

03/23/2026

What Nova Taught Me About “Bleeders”

During Nova’s postmortem, one finding stood out…. there was a significant amount of blood present within the lungs.

Nova was not a performance horse. She was not in heavy work. And yet, the presence of that volume of blood raises important questions about what can be happening beneath the surface.

We often hear horses labeled as “bleeders,” referring to Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH).

In performance settings, this is sometimes minimized, treated as something that only occurs during intense exertion and resolves quickly.

But here’s the reality:

EIPH is not just a momentary event. It is repetitive trauma to the lungs.

Each bleeding episode can leave behind:

• Residual blood within the airways
• Inflammation within lung tissue
• Progressive structural damage over time

Not every horse shows obvious signs.
Medications like Furosemide (Lasix) may reduce the severity of bleeding during exercise, but they do not address the underlying cause or prevent long term changes within the lungs.

Nova’s case is a reminder that what we see externally doesn’t always reflect what’s happening internally. A horse doesn’t have to be in hard work to have significant pulmonary findings.

A “bleeder” isn’t just bleeding in the moment. They may be experiencing cumulative damage we cannot see in real time.

As horse owners and professionals, it’s worth asking:

Are we truly resolving the issue, or are we normalizing it? Lungs don’t recover from repeated insult without consequence.

We need to start advocating for long term health over short term performance.

03/23/2026

03/21/2026

Today, Sky and Nova joined Heaven’s herd.

Sky is now reunited with her mama, my dear friend Kathy, and Nova with the horses who went before her. While this is a deeply difficult loss, there is peace in knowing they are no longer in discomfort.

I want to share part of today’s experience from a professional and educational perspective.

With intention and respect, we performed a post-mortem dissection on Nova, supported by an experienced group of equine professionals consisting of bodyworkers, saddle fitters, and farriers. This was done in a controlled, respectful environment with the sole purpose of gaining a deeper understanding of the internal structures and conditions that may not be fully appreciated externally.

What we observed provided valuable insight into underlying factors that were not previously evident. This type of hands on learning is something that cannot be replicated through theory alone, and it will directly influence how I assess, approach, and support horses in my care moving forward.

Today was a reminder of how much there is still to learn, and how important it is to continue seeking knowledge in order to better serve these animals.

I’m incredibly grateful to the group of dedicated professionals who showed up with open minds and respect for the process.Thank you to my best friend Jamie and her husband Justin for their support, and to everyone who has been part of this journey.

Sky and Nova, you were deeply loved and will always be remembered.

03/19/2026

This was a pleasant surprise 🥹 This is the longest I’ve been able to touch this girl 🥰

03/19/2026

I love watching the babies play 🥹🥰

03/15/2026

You may have noticed I’ve been posting a little more on this page lately. No, I’m not reopening the rescue…. Yet 

Over the last several months, I’ve taken time to step back, reevaluate my program, and focus on the horses currently here. Right now, that means most of the updates will revolve around Trojan and Luna…  their journey, their progress, and the work that goes into their care (and honestly, probably a lot of Trojan).

We’re still here, and we’re still doing meaningful work. I just needed some time for a little soul searching to decide what the future of this program should look like.

At some point in the future I do plan to open the doors again to helping more horses, but it won’t be anytime soon. When that day comes, you all will be the first to know.

Moving forward, the rescue will remain privately funded. Unfortunately, there was a lot of difficulty and drama surrounding the last 501(c)(3) organization I was involved with, which put a pause on pursuing that route again. For now, keeping things private allows me to focus on the horses without the extra complications.

You’ve supported me for a long time, and with Trojan now part of this journey, I know many of you are invested in her story. I truly appreciate every one of you who has followed along and supported what I do.

Thank you for being here. 🤍

03/13/2026

Trojan living her best life ♥️

01/13/2026

A little bittersweet update today 🤍

I received a letter from the IRS regarding my 501(c)(3) status. It was denied for now, pending resubmission of some additional paperwork. It sounds like there were a few hang-ups connected to the previous 501(c)(3) I was involved with alongside my former rescue partner. I’m still sorting through exactly what that means from a tax standpoint, but I’ll be getting clarity soon.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me. I’ll share as much information as I can once I have it, especially regarding how this may affect donations since I am not reapplying.

And now for a much happier update!

Trojan is doing so well. She’s closer to my herd now, has more space, and she and Luna are officially making friends. She’s settling in beautifully and truly just living her best life. Watching her relax and be a horse makes all of this worth it.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and understanding

Anissa

10/17/2025

Official Announcement

This decision hasn’t come lightly, but I’ve officially decided to close the gates on Southern Arizona Equine Rehabilitation.

It breaks my heart to even say that out loud. But I can’t keep doing this on my own anymore. I’m thousands of dollars in debt trying to keep up with feed, vet bills, and everything else — and the financial support just isn’t there.

To everyone who’s supported me over the last five years — thank you. You’ve been a part of some incredible rehabs, second chances, and peaceful goodbyes. You helped me change 26 lives. That’s huge. And I couldn’t have done it without you.

But to be honest, it can’t just be the same three or four people stepping up every single time. That’s not sustainable, and I can’t keep asking them to carry the load.

I was planning to keep going with the rescue highlight series, but it’s just too much right now — emotionally, mentally, all of it. I’m going to wrap it up on a happy note with Woodhouse, because he deserves to close it out strong.

It’s been a damn good five years. We’ve done a lot of good here. But it’s time for me to step back, breathe, and just enjoy the horses I have.

Thank you — all of you — for every ounce of love, support, and belief along the way. ❤️

10/11/2025

Day 6

Woodhouse (right)

Woodhouse came with Meric and Rook. His poor halter was rubbing his face raw. He has not been handled and is not easy to trust.

We have a mutual understanding, that is touch is on his terms. He is able to haltered when needed for vet and farrier care, but he prefers to engage when he chooses.

He lives in my pasture with Meric, my personal horse Nox, and his donkey friend Cyril 🤍