My apologies for not posting more blogs. I had prepared a series of blogs on one subject, but the situation changed. I had to come up with something else.
Not that there are not plenty of subjects, situations, happenings to write about at The Hideout. But as you know well know by now, each season the ingredients and foundations need to be in place to ensure a great season. A great season both “Above Deck and Below Deck”. While no season is the same, a lot ingredients, processes, happenings are the same to set up your guest experience and our team’s experience (which includes our horses) up for success.
Except for several changes of guard on the Chef Side, everything seems to be operating very smoothly. Touch wood! Things can change fast. And also on the Chef Side, we are happy to share that we have two great chefs in place. Mature, experienced and fun guys. A huge relief for our guests, our crew and ourselves.
This blog’s pictures
I took pictures taken during the daily rides by the wranglers. The pictures do not necessarily match the subject. I assume our readers are more interested in looking at real life pictures of the riding experience this time of the year. It gives you an idea what kind of riding and scenery you might encounter in June. From snow, desert, forest and much more.
Our Crew
Without a great crew fitting our culture, things are not happening. Much like last year we have an amazing crew in place. With many well-known faces coming back.
Kitchen and Dining Room
A new crew on the servers with Ellie and Edward. We started our season with Jeff who left at the end of May as he had previous commitments, but returns in September, and Steve, originally from Scotland stepping in for the Summer until Jeff returns.
Maintenance, Landscaping, Fields, Pastures, Repairs
With Marco and Ever we have the same full-time same and long-time (20+ years) in charge of our Maintenance, Fields, Landscaping departments.
Housekeeping
And, for over 20+ years, Guille and Norma with their crew overseeing Housekeeping. They are going strong as ever.
Office and Guest Services
For the 9th year, Melanie at the Office, having her fingers in much more than just the Office, going strong and full enthusiasm as ever. And Melanie is a real person. I am writing this because for some reason this year several new guests asked if they would meet Melanie in person. The reason is that some reservations are managed by reservation centers not located on the ranch itself. The second reason is that it seems more and more reservations systems are handled by AI or virtual assistants.
No, rest assured. Melanie and all of us are real, and you will meet us during your stay at The Hideout.
The Barn
At The Barn and Wrangler Team, several well-known faces with Nina (8th year as a wrangler – 3 years as a guest previously – originally from Germany, making her way to The Hideout after living years in New York), stepping up and taking over more and more of Marijn’s responsibilities. I call her “TAS” (Tough As Nails), and Molly (3th year, studying for her Vet Degree), Taylor ( 2nd year – a man of many talents. There is nothing he has not experienced or done, and just a great guy), Amanda (4th year as a Wrangler, 15 years+ as a guest), Sarah (2nd year – much like Amanda hailing from Australia, originally from Kansas, and Amanda originally from Scotland) returning. Our new wranglers Allie and Elizabeth are hiring on for the first season. Allie is from the US, but living in Patagonia, and Elizabeth is taking a break from Corporate Life. Returning after 21 years is Caroline. Caroline worked at The Hideout as Head Wrangler many years ago. She left, worked at other ranches, managed an equestrian school and joined us for the season as Hospitality Manager. She rides with the wranglers and guests every day. Between Nina, Amanda, and Caroline as mature seasoned professionals, and our crew of experienced younger generation professional wranglers in their twenties and thirties, we have a Barn team that represents the demographics of our guests well. Sarah and Taylor, in their thirties, bridge the “older” generation and the “younger” generation of wranglers. In addition to that, our crew hails from Germany, Scotland, Australia, Belgium, Mexico and the US. Some live part of the year in Australia and Patagonia, which means that also in that area they represent the international mix of our guests. As you know, at The Hideout we embrace and leverage diversity. Not for the sake of diversity, but for the many talents, viewpoints and especially the stories people bring.
The Ponies
In a herd of 100 horses, there is always some change. Some horses retire; and each year we have new arrivals, horses in training that graduate to the guest string, etc. We have a lot of young and relatively young horses in training. As for managing the herd, there is always a debate going on if we need to breed and raise our own horses, which takes a long time, or go on the market and buy “ready for riding mature” horses. Both strategies are expensive because horses, trainers and keeping horses are just very expensive since Covid. For this reason, we still do lease around 10 ponies for the season.
As to keeping ponies, with this year’s weather there is plenty of green grass. The horses are fat and sassy!
Marijn & Peter
Marijn and Peter are in their 21st season (Managing and Owning) and previously 9 years as guests. This year The Hideout existed for 30 years. So that means that my 1995 Jeep and daily Season driver is also 30 years old. I (Peter) just turned 65, and we are gradually looking at what our exit strategy might be. We are not in a hurry. But as we all know, “Shelf Life” is luring around the corner. While we like to think that in our sixties we are as sharp, energetic, nimble and smart as when we were in our four ties, we all know, and need to accept that is not the case. The Hideout is a successful and well managed guest ranch. A creation and organization are very close to our hearts.
Marijn & Peter
Marijn and Peter are in their 21st season (Managing and Owning) and previously 9 years as guests. This year The Hideout existed for 30 years. So that means that my 1995 Jeep and daily Season driver is also 30 years old. I (Peter) just turned 65, and we are gradually looking at what our exit strategy might be. We are not in a hurry. But as we all know, “Shelf Life” is luring around the corner. While we like to think that in our sixties we are as sharp, energetic, nimble and smart as when we were in our four ties, we all know, and need to accept that is not the case. The Hideout is a successful and well managed guest ranch. A creation and organization are very close to our hearts.
And of course, The Weather
With exception of a couple very cold weeks during Winter, the Winter was mild according to Wyoming standards. April, May and even most weeks of June so far, have been exceptionally cool, with good rain showers. In the mountains, the snow has been melting very gradually, which means we did not really have the usual high water causing damage and messing up weeks of fly-fishing.
Exciting Events at The Hideout – Felipe Masetti Leite
We had several unique events, but the one that stood out was that Felipe Masetti Leite joined a group of our Brazilian friends to come stay and ride a week at The Hideout. Felipe, a Brazilian student living in Calgary Canada, after graduating college, rode 10,000 miles from Canada through The Rocky Mountains, the America’s to his home in Brazil.
Two years. Three horses. Ten countries. And a thousand stories of drug cartels, mass migration, grizzly’s, snakes, the glorious, dangerous and challenging wilderness, the old cowboy ways, the generosity of people, the kindness of strangers and the powerful connection between man and horse.
In his second voyage and book you can read Felipe’s story traveling from Brazil across three more countries, riding 6 horses from Barretos, Brazil through windswept deserts, frozen mountains, and a scorched Patagonian landscape to Tierro del Fuego. The Land of Fire, Ushuaia.
Felipe wrote three books. Long Ride Home. Long Ride to the End of the World, Last Long Ride. A movie is also in the making of Felipe’s journey.
Felipe will return to The Hideout Spring 2026. Limited spots available. Call Melanie!
Patagonia, here we come
As a result of meeting Filipe and reading his books, Marijn, Nina, Phuong-Nahm and myself will go riding in Patagonia. Surely a great experience to share in one of the next blogs.
Bookings and Reservations
Our 2025 Season is in full swing with a few spots left, but most of the week filled to our max. 25 guest capacity. We can sleep 32, but to keep it personal and offer the level of personal attention we strive for, we limit it to max. 25 guests weekly. Occasionally, due to the high percentage of repeat guests, we sneak in 1 guest more.
Our 2026 season is also booking up nicely and fast.
If you read this blog to the end, I would like to thank you for your interest, and we are all looking forward to meeting at The Hideout. Next blog will be about genetics of some of our horses. An area of interest introduced to us by our PHD Romanian friend, living in Iowa, Radu.
Safe travels. Be nice to yourself and others. And be interested in others.
With a warm hug,
Peter
