History of Practice
If you own horses and live in Central Illinois you may have worked with or heard of Dr. John O'Keefe and O'Keefe Equine Health Service. Dr. O'Keefe has been providing ambulatory, on-the-farm care to horses in Springfield and the surrounding communities for more than 25 years. Dr. O'Keefe started his practice in 1983 after working for two years as an associate of The Illinois Equine Hospital and Field Service in Naperville, Illinois. O'Keefe Equine Health Service was an equine-only ambulatory practice that was extremely diverse. He treated most every common breed of horse in almost every horse discipline. Dr. O'Keefe's practice encompassed a large range of services including: dentistry, reproductive services, wellness care, lameness evaluations, purchase exams, and basic surgeries.
In 2006, Dr. Rachel Boyce joined O'Keefe Equine Health Service as an associate. Three years later, in 2009, Dr. O'Keefe and Dr. Boyce became partners. In March of 2010, they opened the first equine-exclusive, multi-doctor clinic in Central Illinois. Heartland Equine Health Center, LLC is a state of the art clinic but also continues to offer on-farm services to Springfield and the surrounding communities.
Hospital Facilities
Located in Curran, Illinois (only two minutes from the intersection of Interstate 72 and Wabash Avenue on the SW corner of Springfield, Illinois) our clinic facility utilizes over 9,000 square feet of indoor space to create a comfortable place to provide veterinary care for your horses.
After passing through the necessary office areas, the heart of the clinic is a spacious, well-lit, climate-controlled treatment room that contains a surgery/recovery room, and a climate controlled stall for the comfort of our horses needing more than the usual care. Adjustable stocks are available to safely restrain horses undergoing procedures such as dentistry, reproductive checks, etc.
Adjacent to the treatment room is a stable area that contains four stalls, one of which can be used as an isolation stall if needed. The stable area has rubber paving brick flooring for the comfort and safe footing of our patients and clients.
The final section of our indoor space is an 80 by 44 ft. indoor arena for use in evaluating lameness and gait abnormalities in horses under saddle or when inclement weather prevents us from working outdoors.
Are you afraid of getting stuck or concerned about backing up your trailer? No problem here. The entrance drive on the left side of our building continues around the back. You may easily exit back to the main road without any need of backing your trailer.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our clinic.
Ambulatory Services
Heartland Equine Health Service has two fully-equipped mobile units available for scheduled appointments and emergency calls. Our trucks carry special veterinary truck bed inserts that safely carry our medications and equipment. A refrigerator keeps our vaccines and medications that require careful temperature control safe. A heating system keeps our on-truck water supply warm as well as protects our medications in cold weather.
The trucks are fully stocked with ultrasound and full set of power dental equipment. Digital x-rays can also be taken on the farm when needed.
Staff Biographies
Dr. John O'Keefe, DVM
Dr. John O'Keefe received his degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois in 1980. After a year of mixed animal practice he joined the staff of the Illinois Equine Hospital working exclusively with horses in all areas of medicine. In 1983 Dr. O'Keefe and his wife, Cindy, moved to Springfield and started O'Keefe Equine Health Service as an equine-exclusive ambulatory practice. In 2009, he partnered with Dr. Boyce to build Heartland Equine Health Center. Dr. O'Keefe enjoys working in all areas of general medicine including dentistry, reproduction, radiography, and preventative healthcare.
Dr. Rachel Boyce, DVM
Dr. Rachel Boyce earned her veterinary degree from the University of Illinois in 2002. After several years in mixed animal practice in Robinson, IL and Springfield, she joined Dr. O'Keefe's practice to focus exclusively on horses. In 2009 they became partners and opened Heartland Equine Health Center. Dr. Boyce's areas of interest include general medicine & surgery, critical care, lameness and dentistry. Dr. Boyce and her husband, CJ, have a small farm in Springfield where she keeps four horses that she trains to compete in Dressage and Endurance.
Dr. Cindy O'Keefe, DVM
Practice Manager
Dr. Cindy O'Keefe graduated from the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine in 1981. After a few years in small animal practice, she moved into practice management of O'Keefe Equine Health Service. Freedom from emergency calls allowed her to mix work and raising three children with husband John O'Keefe. Outside of work, she has a passion for music and learning new things. Over the last few years she has also worked as an apprentice piano repair technician, sang with a church choir, and played clarinet with a local community band. On Saturdays she volunteers at Braveheart Therapeutic Riding Center in Pawnee (BraveheartTRC.org)
Dean Proefrock
Veterinary Assistant
Dean Proefrock began assisting Dr. O'Keefe in 1994. His experience handling horses comes from a long history of work at horse farms, breeding farms, and the racetrack. Starting with Gene Kennedy at Kennedy Pony Farm in Taylorville, over the years he has managed horses at Twenty 'N Tick Farm in Sherman and kept his own Standardbred race horses as Cheap Trotter Stables. On his "vacations" from us, Dean travels to Kentucky, Texas, and New York to be a head assistant to veterinarians working for Taylor Made Sales Agency, one of the world's largest Thoroughbred bloodstock agents. His current project here at home involves raising Racing Quarter Horses with Traci Talsma.
Kim Jones
Veterinary/Office Assistant
Kim earned her degree in Animal Science at Southern Illinois University -Carbondale in 2002. After college she worked as an assistant breeding manager at Richland Ranch in Auburn, IL and then became the breeding manager at Holders Hill, also in Auburn. Holders Hill is where she first met and worked with Dr. Boyce and Dr. O'Keefe. She joined Heartland Equine Health Center when we expanded into our new clinic in March 2010. Kim and her husband James live in Springfield and own a farm where they keep four horses. Kim enjoys trail riding and competes in Dressage.