ABOUT US
Meet the Team
Sherry Appel
Office Manager
Sherry grew up in Atlantic, Iowa, showing horses in southern Iowa and being very active in 4-H. She worked in a mixed veterinary practice as a vet tech and office assistant. Sherry attended Iowa State University where she studied animal science. She worked at the Department of Transportation in Ames as an administration manager and in the corporate world for IBM and GE in Des Moines as a sales representative.
She has had experience managing a 20-stall boarding stable outside of Adel where she taught horsemanship skills and gave riding lessons. She was also a 4-H leader for an equine club for seven years.
Sherry has been a Director for Mary Kay cosmetics and had her own distributionship for WW Livestock Systems out of Oklahoma. She also helped her late husband start and grow a vacation rental business in Arkansas. Most recently before joining Pheasant Ridge Equine, she enjoyed working at Tractor Supply Company in DeSoto.
Sherry enjoys using her own horses for cattle work. She was one of the founding members of the Iowa Ranch Horse Association in 1999. She had the opportunity and enjoyed the experience of partnering with Cord and Sara McCoy in the ownership of a bucking bull.
We welcome Sherry to the Pheasant Ridge Equine team as our Office Manager. She is looking forward to interacting with and getting to know our clients and their horses.
R. Dixon Appel, MS DVM
R. Dixon Appel was born in Virginia. He grew up with five other siblings in the suburbs of Washington D.C. His love for animals started at an early age when he would catch snakes, pigeons and frogs. His family also had other various animals in their home.
His interest in horses started in high school when his brother-in-law gave his sister a horse. His next few years were spent riding and jumping, but his ambition to become a veterinarian began at a Career Day during his ninth-grade year of school.
He majored in animal science with a pre-vet option during his undergrad at Virginia Tech. While in school, he was also a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Judging Team. His experiences in the cooperative education program led him to Spendthrift Farms in Lexington, KY where his ultimate career path was developed.
Upon graduating from Virginia Tech, he attended the University of Connecticut he where pursued a masters degree in reproductive physiology. It was here he discovered his enjoyment in the game of polo. After earning his M.S., he returned to Virginia Tech for veterinary school.
Graduating in 1987, Dr. Appel went to practice on the racetracks in New Jersey. In 1989 he went to the University of California at Davis to complete a residency in equine reproduction.
Dr. Appel came to Iowa in 1991, opened his clinic: Pheasant Ridge Equine and has been serving the central Iowa area since. He also became heavily involved in the Moingona Hunt Club and after a period of time, was asked to serve as the Master of Foxhounds. He continually supports local saddle clubs as a sponsor and is a member of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association where he has served on the equine committee.
Dr. Appel was also on the advisory board for the Veterinary Technician program at Des Moines Area Community College and is currently on the Institutional Care and Use committee.
Dr. Appel and the staff at Pheasant Ridge Equine take pride in providing quality care for your equine companions and athletes. Contact us today to set up an appointment via phone: 515.981.0082 or email: . We thank you for trusting your horses to our hands and look forward to working with you!
Testimonials
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Office Hours
Mon – Fri — 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday — By Appointment Only
Sunday — Closed
Pheasant Ridge Equine Clinic, P.C.
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