"Great people, impeccable horsemanship and horse care and one of the best eventing instructors in the country." - Laura Powell
"Talisman Farms has been a second home to me and my horses for almost 15 years now. I moved to Oregon from New York and made sure to find a barn and shipper long before a house and movers. It was a very stressful process and I was frightened of not making the right decisions.
Talisman impressed me with its amazing group of long-time boarders, unsurpassed turn-out, perfect balance of comfort and amenities, and obvious focus on the love of horses as animals, not sport.
I remember anxiously awaiting the arrival of my horse to see what he would think of his new life. He came at 1 o'clock in the morning, whinnying loudly at the sound of my voice. The Hooks had readied a roomy stall with good bedding, high quality hay, and a bucket full of fresh water.
Julie herself came out, bright-eyed with a warm bran mash in hand. And
we knew we had made the right choice." -Alison Lord
"Julie Hook is the best trainer and horse woman ever." -Leora Britvan
"In my life as head groom for a 4* rider I am CONSTANTLY using the skills that Julie taught me, not only when I ride the horses but definitely in my horse management. Julie emphasizes the big picture (the horse ALWAYS comes first) without leaving out all of those little details that make my life so much easier when I'm working with some of the top horses in the country . Bandaging, braiding, proper care of equipment, safely blanketing- you name it, if I know how to do it, it's a safe bet that I learned it during my time growing up at Talisman Farm." -Katy Long
"Great, great place!!!
The wonderful instructor, friendly horses and vast pasture." -Mami Tanabe Ogawa
"Riding with Julie is wonderful. The farm and environment is perfect for happy healthy horses being horses and athletes." -Tammy Ritcher Jones