The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco received the perfect gift for her 32nd birthday — an engagement ring. After about two years of dating, equestrian Karl Cook proposed to Cuoco, and she said yes. Since wedding bells are in the couple's future, you may be wondering, how did Cuoco and Cook meet? Their story is one that will make horse lovers swoon.
Cook is a jockey who has been riding horses since he was 8, according to Hollywood Life. At 26, he has competed in the Grand Prix, and in 2014, he won four Grand Prix events. When it comes to the equestrian world, Cook is kind of a big deal. Lucky for him, Cuoco loves horses just as much as he does, and it seems she's been on the lookout for her "horse guy" for some time.
In a September 2016 interview on The Talk, Cuoco shared the story of how she met Cook, and it's one anyone who has ever dreamed of riding off into the sunset on horseback should be able to appreciate. Cuoco told the ladies of The Talk,
"I finally found my horse guy. It was very meant to be. He's an amazing rider, amazing equestrian and a great human. We shared a passion for horses and dogs … It's been lovely."
One year after the interview, Cuoco and her horse guy are officially engaged. Go ahead and squee, romantics; you know you want to. Cook captured Cuoco's emotional reaction to their engagement on Instagram, and it seems clear that The Big Bang Theory actor is excited to start the next chapter of their relationship.
Cuoco's happiness is well-deserved. In September 2015, Cuoco and her first husband, tennis star Ryan Sweeting, filed for divorce. Their split wasn't finalized until May 2016. In her 2016 interview with The Talk, Cuoco reflected on the difficult time and how wrong she was about thinking she might never love again. According to Us Weekly, the actor said,
"Even when I went through my big breakup … I might have said some things like 'I'm never gonna love again, I'm never gonna get married again.' The people that know you best, they know my heart … That's just not me. I'm just glad I got through it. I couldn't be happier."
Well, it looks like Cuoco was a teeny bit wrong about the part where she thought she couldn't be any happier, because she looks downright ecstatic in the video that Cook posted. That's not too surprising, given the fact that Cuoco seems to have found her perfect match.
Cuoco's love for horses appears to be an integral part of who she is, so it's only fitting that she should share her life with someone who's so in tune with her passion. In September 2016, she told Entertainment Tonight that she enjoys riding competitively under an alias — and that in the world of horse racing, her beloved equines are becoming so famous, they might just blow her cover.
The actor revealed,
"The problem is too in the horse world, a lot of people know what horses you ride and the names of them, and my horses are becoming a little bit more famous than I am. I have a horse named Poker Face, and I feel like that's not hiding anything."
It's beautiful that Cuoco and Cook's devotion to the world of horses and horseback riding is mutual. From the looks of their Instagram accounts, the couple is also super supportive of one another. They frequently share photos of each other riding horses with sweet captions like, "Kisses for Netty. And yes, @mrtankcook got a few kisses too."
Knowing that Cuoco and Cook both love horse riding and that they make time to support each other's endeavors, only makes their relationship all the sweeter. These two horse-obsessed people were clearly meant to be, just like Cuoco suspected.
