About Tesoro
Quarter Horses
It was always our dream to build an oasis for horses and the people we love. This is why we built Tesoro Quarter Horses! When it comes to horses, we specialize in the western horse discipline and are performance focused. When it comes to family fun, we have created an environment that will feel like a home away from home.
We offer lessons, horse training, coaching, sales, and breeding, and we take the highest level of pride in what we do.
When you visit Tesoro you will notice our top-of-the-line facility that includes both outdoor and heated indoor spaces for you and the horses. You will also see our bunkhouse where we cook meals for our team and guests, serve drinks, play games, and hang out with friends. You will meet our horses, our trainer, our owners, and you will feel like family.
We can’t wait to meet you!
Our team
Sarah Cook
Trainer
Sarah has had a love for horses ever since she saw Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Naturally, like any six year old girl, she begged her parents for a horse of her own. They decided to sign her up for lessons at an English Barn, which is where her love for horses turned into a passion.
After riding for quite a few years, Sarah finally got a horse of her own in seventh grade and decided to get more into trail and western riding. She spent every day in the summer jumping fallen down trees in the woods and practicing barrel patterns in the pasture at her grandma's house. Owning a horse by herself on the farm opened up a new realization that she had a lot to learn, which is where passion turned into dedication. All through Middle and High School She watched YouTube videos on troubleshooting horse issues, signed up for fun shows, and went to as many horse expos as possible. It wasn’t until after high school that she was able to start working under trainers.
Sarah has predominantly worked at Christian Youth Camps where she learned to teach Lessons for Kids, lead trail rides, and facilitate riders through obstacle courses and basic cow work. She firmly believes in developing a well rounded horse that is willing to do anything you point their nose to. And that ultimately, horses are a bridge to building community and being in fellowship with one another.
It wasn’t until 2020 that she started taking lessons centered around reining under Marlin Holroyd NRHA Reining Judge. Because of him she grew a better understanding of a balanced horse and going back to the foundation of riding - dressage. She will be continuing her education in reining under Mike Cross Reining Horses out of Michigan and our show team will be traveling with them as well.
With all of her combined experiences Sarah has made it a priority to develop a balanced horse under the saddle and in their mind. Whether they’re ridden for lessons, the show ring or trails.
Sarah’s greatest goal in her lessons is to use the horse as a tool to develop young people’s character and confidence and to equip them for whatever the future may hold.
Doug and Julie
Doug: Barn Chef/ Co-owner
Julie: Owner
Julie and Doug have dreamt of owning a small farm for most of their 30+ years of marriage. Finally, the dream came true in 2022.
Doug was raised on a farm in New Jersey where they raised horses, cattle, and sheep. Julie has had a love of animals her entire life and first became involved with equestrian sports in 2010. After serving in the US Marine Corps, Doug pursued a career in the global professional IT services industry and Julie has been a supportive corporate wife and mother to their three children.
Life has taken the team throughout the country and beyond. It’s befitting that one of the family mottos has been, “Onward!” Between the two, they have lived in over twenty-five different cities across the USA, and also outside the country in Australia and Central Europe. Tesoro represents a new chapter in their lives, focused on staying close to home and closer to nature.
Tesoro is a true labor of love for this adventurous duo.