About Us

Christian and Laura Hayes have a passion for good horsemanship, people and the country life; a life they want to share. They have a combined 30 years’ experience in horseback tours, tourism and hospitality both in Australia and overseas. Combining their love of horsemanship and entertaining, you are guaranteed to have some fun in the bush!  During the summer months they operate Hidden Trails from Tolmie, just outside Mansfield Victoria. During the winter months they run horseback tours at the famous El Questro Station in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. They not only guarantee a fantastic riding experience on a sturdy, healthy bush horse but they can also guarantee an exceptional meal at the end of the day. Christian is a qualified chef so the guests will be experiencing his well renowned bush cooking. 

Christian has been involved in horseback tours here in Australia, and also in North America since 2001 taking extended High Country Rides and fully catered Pack Horse Trips in the Yosemite National Park in America. Previous to this he was practising as a qualified chef in restaurants and pubs throughout Victoria including the Dargo Hotel and worked with some of our best chefs, including celebrity chef Guy Grossi. Our guests are guaranteed a tasty, heart-warming, bush style gourmet meal after a long day in the saddle!

Laura grew up in rural NSW and has been riding since a young age. She spent time working in Event Management and has qualifications in Travel, Tourism and Event Management. She worked with SMA, an event company specialising in corporate events for 3 years. This career path took her to Mansfield, where she merged her event experience with her love of the High Country. It was here she started riding again, and met Christian who was taking horse riding groups to the Victorian High Country with the Lovick family.

Our team

All our Hidden Trails by Horseback staff and volunteers share a passion for our horses, the bush and the food! They love what they do and enjoy meeting and spending time with the guests out on the trail. Our team are 100% committed to give you the best and safest riding experience in 2 of Australia’s most unique and rugged environments.

Hidden Trails Horses

Here at Hidden Trails by Horseback we have spent countless hours with our horses training and educating them to the ways of the bush, these days, a large majority of our horses have been bred and trained on our property ‘Beechwood’, just outside Mansfield in The Victorian High Country. We carefully breed and select our mob to ensure they are suitable for our riders and the mountain terrain. The horses are fit and sturdy bush horses that love heading into the mountains as much as the riders riding them.

Bush Lodge

Hidden Trails aims to provide a first class camping experience. We recognise the importance of providing quality bush accommodation and meals.

Hidden Trails provides an environmentally friendly mobile campsite with quality tents, comfortable swags and all the meals are freshly prepared from their specially designed catering trailer.