Dr. R. Dixon Appel will be retiring on July 25, 2022, after 31 years of serving the community at Pheasant Ridge Equine Clinic.
PHEASANT RIDGE
EQUINE CLINIC, P.C.
Quality Care for the Equine Athlete

Office Hours
Mon – Fri — 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday — By Appointment Only
Sunday — Closed
Our Facilities & Services
Pheasant Ridge Equine and Dr. Dixon Appel are dedicated to meeting your equine needs and providing excellent veterinary services to your animal. Dr. Appel is a specialist in reproduction and has special interests in dentistry, lameness, and minor surgeries. Dr. Appel also provides routine and preventative herd health care, which includes vaccination and de-worming programs. Our digital radiograph (x-ray), ultrasound, and endoscope capabilities help to diagnose your horse’s unique needs and helps to insure quality care for your equine athlete.
Have us visit your farm OR haul to our clinic and trust us with expert care as we service every horse hauled to our clinic, regardless of where you call home. For more information, please click a link below or call the office at 515.981.0082.

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Have questions, need more information, or wish to make an appointment?
Call our office at 515.981.0082

Caring for Equine Athletes
Since 1987
Frequently Asked Questions
What is average temperature of a horse?
Adult — 99.5 ℉ to 100.5 ℉
Foal — 99 ℉ to 102 ℉
What is normal heart rate of horse?
Adult — 30 bpm to 44 bpm
Foal — 70 bpm to 100 bpm
How do you take a pulse on a horse?
Learn how to take off of a facial artery.
Please ask Dr. Appel to show you.
What is normal respiration rate?
Adult — 12 to 20 breaths-per-minute
Foal — 20 to 40 breaths-per-minute
What should an emergency kit, at a minimum, have included in it?
Cotton bandages, vet wrap, Bute, Banamine, thermometer, saline solution.
What is the gestation for a mare?
Approximately 340 days. The average gestation length range from 320 to 362 days, most mares will foal within 330 to 345 days after breeding.
What is the heat cycle of a mare?
21 days from ovulation to ovulation.
They should be receptive to a stallion approximately 7 days. Mares will “shut down” usually around the end of October and will start back normally, around April 15. In order for mares to start cycling earlier for breeding purposes, you need to have them under lights for sixteen hours starting November 1.
What vaccinations need to be given yearly?
Rabies, West Nile, Eastern/Western Encephalomyelitis (Sleeping Sickness), Tetanus, Rhinopneumonitis, and Influenza.
How often should a horse be de-wormed?
Depends on the fecal egg count of each horse. Normal practice is to de-worm three times per year. However, this could be incorrect without knowing what the horse really needs. An increased fecal egg count would indicate the horse may be needing a different program.
Get In Touch
Get in Touch
Office: 515.981.0082
Emergency: 515.729.8387
Office Hours
Mon – Fri — 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday — By Appointment Only
Sunday — Closed
We are 1.4 miles to the west of I35 exit 65 on Cumming Rd. We are on the South side behind white farm house. Clinic is in white barn.
3320 Cumming Road
Cumming, IA 50061