Yet another handsome boy has joined the Hideout herd - Washoe, an Overo paint...

A good friend of Hideout Ranch brought us Tell, the big grey who is a favourite guest favourite, well over a year ago. He told us then he had a paint gelding he wanted to bring to us that, in his words, was “better than that grey”. Difficult imagining any horse being better than Tell, we welcomed Washoe to Hideout Ranch just before Thanksgiving, 2011. He got his name from Walker, Texas Ranger. In Cherokee, Washoe means “Lone Eagle” - and it just seemed to fit him.

Washoe made the trip to Fort Bowie a couple weekends ago, impressing Craig greatly with his stride, boldness in leading, and genial personality. Washoe is the new “go-pony”…

Washoe makes ready to dip into the Timothy-Blue Grass mix waiting for him...

Tracy, a Hideout friend from Canada, poses with Washoe outside the ranger station as Kachina looks down the trail...

The dining room at the Stone Lodge was christened over the Christmas Holidays when guests from Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Arizona helped us celebrate.

Hideout Ranch recently expanded to include the Stone Lodge near the mouth of Horseshoe Canyon. Half a century old, the character-filled stone house is perfect for gathering after a fabulous day of riding in the Coronado National Forest and swapping stories between guests.

A wood stove heats the spacious living room with plenty of comfy seating for long conversations or merely relaxing after a great ride.

One of five, this bright, sunny bedroom at the back of the house has a private bath and fabulous views of the mountains.

Built of local fieldstone, the Stone Lodge is set on 320 acres at the foot of the sweeping Chiricahua Mountains.

Blue Duck has a new view on the world - and this one includes cattle...

Years ago, when Sambora was expecting Riches, we lived on a horse farm in the Blue Ridge of Virginia, where Polish Arabian horses were bred and raised. My quaint 18th Century stone cottage was a few yards from the stone barns and three-board paddocks, and I could watch the horses from my front porch. Riches may have been the first Warmblood born at Cerene Acres, but she loved playing with the beautiful Arabian foals. One of her favourite playmates was a lovely chestnut filly called Kazanndra, more affectionately “KC”.   The handsome dark bay stallion standing stud at Cerene Acres was Montahna who, in yet another connection, was the father of Sambora’s second daughter and Riches’ half sister, Koko Cabanha. Now, years later, the son of Montahna and KC has found a home at Hideout Ranch.

Blue Duck, his Hideout name, retains the pet name he received as a baby who loved to swim and adds the Lonesome Dove element, though our Blue Duck is nothing at all like the wicked half-breed who menaced Lorie darlin’ and outfoxed Gus and Woodrow for years.

But his registered name is Arizonha, in keeping with Montanha’s sons being named after states. Being Arizonha from birth and with the connection to Sambora and Riches, it does seem destiny played a part in Blue Duck coming to live in the desert with us…

Blue Duck is a handsome addition to an already handsome herd.

With a wink, Blue Duck indicates he loves being a Hideout pony...

When he first saw this image of Blue Duck in the show ring, Craig said, "He won't look like that here."

Kahlua, a beautiful Nigerian Dwarf goat, is home at Hideout Ranch.

Kahlua, one of quadruplets born to Midnight, one of Jennifer Racicot’s purebred Nigerian Dwarf goats, has come home to Hideout Ranch. Jennifer, wife of Hideout Ranch Cowboy Chef Jerry Racicot, raises goats for milk, cheese, and meat. Having gotten me addicted to fresh goat’s milk - and spoiling our guests with homemade goat’s milk ice cream (which is more than heaven in a bowl!), I fell in love with Kahlua when she was born and had to have her. And, since no one can have just one, I brought Cowboy along to keep her company. Realistically, it’s more that they keep us entertained! They follow us everywhere, are fascinated with the house, jump and leap on and off everything they can, and are as sweet as Kahlua’s name implies.

Guests will enjoy watching their antics when they Come Hideout… on horseback.

Cowboy wants to see what's inside...

Kahlua Rose, just after she arrived. How cute is this?

Ron and Ike ride across the Parade Grounds at Camp Rucker on their way to Red Rocks Canyon up in the Chiricahuas...

After a long healing spring and summer with rejuvenating monsoons, the Coronado National Forest is open again. Craig and Tell went for a quick ride through Horseshoe Canyon the other day, and found it to be as lush and lovely as always. Armed with an official US Forest Service permit, Hideout Ranch is ready to return to beloved trails in Rucker, Horseshoe, and Sulphur Canyons, as well as to historic Fort Bowie and the mind-numbing beauty of the Land of Standing Rocks - the Chiricahua National Monument.

Hideout Ranch is privileged to be the only ranch riding in this Southeastern corner of Cochise County in Arizona, and we have miles and miles of trails yet to explore. The mountains and desert are amazing in their resiliency, and we want you to Come Hideout… on horseback and experience it for yourself -

Kachina enjoys her own lunch at the top of Sulphur Canyon on a lovely spring day with the Doerrs along for the ride.

Kristen and Sebastian lead Annette and Ike toward Balance Rock at the amazing Chiricahua National Monument.

Sambora and Mickey Free nibble on the greening mountain side while we enjoy lunch under a convenient tree.

Sambora, the acknowledged Queen of the Hideout Herd, took an outing with our guest, Jean. We ambled along Owl Butte, marveling at the resilience of the desert after this spring’s forest fire. Along with Ike, Tell, and youngster Mickey Free, Sam enjoyed touring the Stone Circle, crossing and re-crossing the washes running with monsoon rains, and riding along a panoramic view of the valley. She loves to go on trail, and has more than a spring in her step. Two days later, she and Jean helped with roundup, keeping the young calves contained until we could coax them into the arena. Sambora remains true to her show name, “Stuff of Dreams”. You’ll meet her when you Come Hideout… on horseback.

In what is a recreation of her first photo, Sambora still has the sweetest, softest expression...

Susannah, a Hideout Longhorn, gazes wistfully across the range...

Having grown up on a small, irrigated pasture, Susannah and the other Longhorns are experiencing their first taste of true freedom on the thousands of acres the Hideout herd calls home. Like Rosie, Susannah is happy to be raising her calf in the wide open spaces with more cousins, uncles, and aunts than Billy-Bob and Tessie ever imagined.

You’ll have an opportunity for first-hand interaction with our bovine residents when you Come Hideout… on horseback.

Billy-Bob (l) and Tessie (r) are very curious about people, wanting very much to get closer - but not too close.

Warner challenges Billy-Bob to a friendly game of Push-Me-Push-You. See, Warner never really grew up, he just got bigger...

Last year, Ron and Jean enjoyed one of Hideout Ranch's favourite rides - historic Ft. Bowie.

August seems to always be a busy, busy month. And so it is at Hideout Ranch. Return guests Ron and Jean Balch joined us again from Michigan for a week of great riding, great food, and great adventures. They enjoyed The Bunkhouse at Hideout Ranch, sipping coffee on the back deck and watching favourite Westerns after another of Jerry’s delicious dinners. This year, they also mounted up and helped with Roundup!

Ron and his 2011 equine partner, Tell, rode along side his wife, Jean and Sambora - who made a rare appearance on the cattle range, and the other Hideout wranglers and neighbours. All eleven Angus calves were branded and tagged, and everyone was wormed and vaccinated. Run - who filled the alley and left no room to squeeze in the chute, he’s grown so big - and Shiloh had their missing tags replaced. And the Longhorns patently refused to participate.  Short work was made of it with many hands and four times as many feet pushing the herd through the alley and chute.

The steaks tasted particularly good that night as Jerry grilled them to perfection as our appetites were honed by the hard work of the day.

On a visit to The Tank, we were amused - as always - by the sight of the wee teeny calves with their huge signature Hideout red ear tags and their new brands still fresh.  It was a bittersweet roundup as the spectre of Woodrow grazed in the back of our minds. We remarked how proud he would be of his last calf crop, particularly Gideon who is a small, but growing, version of his dad…

Mary models her new brand, flashy red Hideout ear tag - and her mama's milk.

Gideon, Opal's first calf, is a miniature Woodrow...

Craig and Ike head down a desert road, under that wandering star...

Hideout Ranch rides the most beautiful forests and landscapes in the American Southwest. Join us as we wander under that star through canyons, across the range, and through historical sites like the Chiricahua National Monument and historic Fort Bowie. See the latest video, and others, at www.youtube.com/HideoutRanch/AZ

We set our inner cowboy on the trail to discovery - and found ourselves…

Craig and Tell show us the way down from the hidden meadows of Horseshoe Canyon...