This Teen’s Rescued Mini Horse Became a Therapy Star—And Now He’s Healing Hearts Everywhere
Sawdust, a rescued mini horse proves that even the smallest animals can make the biggest difference
Inspired by the healing power of therapy animals, Alexa Billstrom rescued Sawdust, a spirited miniature horse who has proven even the smallest creatures can have the largest hearts. Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World.
“Here they come!” 15-year-old Alexa Billstrom called, poking her head into the corridor. Her big sister, Jordyn, had spent the summer in a Milwaukee hospital being treated for aplastic anemia, and she was miserable — until the day a hospital volunteer brought in a therapy dog to visit the patients.
Jordyn loved dogs and looked forward to each lick and pet. After a bone marrow transplant, Jordyn was well enough to go home. But Alexa never forgot the joy the therapy dogs brought to her sister.
Inspired, she got the family’s golden retriever, Molly, certified as a therapy dog and began visiting hospitals and nursing homes. But fate had even bigger plans for Alexa.
A heartfelt dream
Alexa had always dreamed of owning her own horse. “You can get one when you can pay for both the horse and boarding,” her parents said.
So Alexa started saving every penny from her part-time pizzeria job. Eventually she had enough to buy a horse, but the ongoing food and boarding fees would be a stretch.
What if I went small? she thought, and searched “rescue miniature horses near me” on Google. “He’s adorable!” she exclaimed when a picture of a mini horse popped up on a shelter website. His name was Sawdust, in honor of his golden color.
Alexa paid the adoption fee, and the shelter delivered the sweet guy to his new boarding stable. Sawdust had never been trained, so he pulled at the lead, reared up and tried to bolt in different directions. But Alexa was patient with him as he learned. She spent long afternoons and late evenings soothing and grooming Sawdust…and slowly, it worked.
“He’s finally coming around,” Alexa told residents at the nursing home where she’d taken a new job. “Bring him here so we can see him!” they pleaded, and when she warned Sawdust the mini horse stays calm around medical machines and wheelchairs and cuddles with residents them Sawdust wasn’t a registered therapy animal, they insisted nonetheless.
To everyone’s amazement, Sawdust’s visit went great. “Hi, sweetheart,” one resident cooed, going in for a big hug. “He’s giving you horsey kisses,” Alexa said, watching as Sawdust leaned in to nuzzle the kind resident. Word spread and soon other nursing homes in the area began inviting Sawdust to visit their residents.
After finding an organization that certified therapy horses, Alexa began preparing Sawdust for his big test. “It’s alright, boy,” she said as she exposed him to whirring medical machines, crutches and wheelchairs. On weekends, she walked him through downtown Milwaukee streets. They couldn’t walk one block before being surrounded by curious well-wishers who helped quickly socialize the sweet horse.
Spreading joy
Sawdust passed his certification test with flying colors, and wearing his new vest he began visiting nursing homes, hospitals, schools and the local Ronald McDonald House. The kids love filling their palms with treats for Sawdust — apple slices, carrots and the occasional piece of candy.
“The little ones are always waiting for him,” says Ronald McDonald House family services team member Ellen Meyer. “He offers them a moment of joy during a very difficult time.” Alexa, now a police officer, also loves taking Sawdust to the National Night Out Against Crime event, where he helps raise money by showing off his favorite trick: posing for selfies. “He loves the camera and it loves him,” Alexa says.
Last year, this dynamic duo made more than 90 visits. “There might be 20 people in a nursing home rec room, but somehow Sawdust always knows the person who needs him most and steps over to give them a nuzzle,” Alexa says. “When he first came, he hated our trailer, but now he loves it because he knows we’re going somewhere special.” Sawdust loves seeing all the happy smiles. “They’re the same smile I saw on my sister’s face, and now it’s me who gets to bring the joy.”
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