Our Hideout Horses

The Hideout’s commitment to excellence is also applied to all the basic premises of enjoyable horseback riding. Our Wyoming guest ranch:


1. Provides well-broke, sensible, and sound horses.

2. Uses tack that fits the horse and you. Especially the saddle. Tack that is well-maintained and inspected regularly, to avoid problems during use.

3. Matches you up with a horse that suits you: your level of riding experience and skills, your disposition/personality, and your physical abilities.

4. Provides proper instruction on basics of Western riding (such as how to mount and dismount, steer the horse etc.). And safety tips on handling and being around horses.

5. Advises about and also offers apparel that is suitable for riding (boots and gloves, especially).

The Hideout at Flitner Ranch prides itself on providing nothing but safe and enjoyable riding experiences during your Wyoming vacation. The Flitners and their dedicated staff of professional wranglers have carefully attended to all such aspects for your Western adventure.

#1 & #3: Horses of The Hideout’s Guest String

We have horses within our guest string that are suitable for various levels of riding experience and abilities. From first-time riders, intermediate riders, up to very experienced riders, we can provide a horse that you will enjoy.

Selected Horses

Prior to adding new horses into our guest string at The Hideout, we carefully select the horses we buy. Most have Quarter horse lines, some are other stock-horse breeds, and a few are Flitner-bred Quarter horses. After newly acquired horses get to The Hideout, they are observed, trained by our expert horsemen if need be, then our wranglers use and ride them prior to being assigned to any guests.

Our objective is to always have a quality and safe string of guest horses, for matching up with various levels of riding ability. At the same time, these are horses that can be used to rope, sort, and push cows. That is, perform the cattle work on a daily basis in this rough terrain -- in addition to being good, reliable, and safe trail horses for our guests.

Although some of our guest string horses are registered Quarter horses with some good bloodlines, this is not our primary concern and foundation for selecting horses for The Hideout’s guest string. Matching horse and rider is! Every horse in the guest string, however, is a fine representative of a working ranch horse. They all have the cow sense for which the Quarter horse breed is known.

Fresh Horses

Horse-to-Guest Ratio. Because of the challenging terrain and to assure fresh horses for each week's batch of guests, we maintain a 2:1 ratio. That is, we maintain 65 horses for a 32-guest maximum or two horses per each guest. This allows for ample rest for the guest string horses and always a fresh mount for the week.

Renewable Resource. This year we added 15 new horses as some of the older Hideout horses were purchased by Hideout guests. These seasoned guest string horses make excellent recreational partners in areas with not so challenging terrain.

Kept Tuned Up. Hideout wranglers use the same horses our guests ride. You will be impressed by their hardiness and surefootedness in the challenging terrain on the ranch.

#2, #4, & #5: Proper Tack, Instruction, and Apparel

As noted elsewhere on this website:

Tack. Our tack room in the barn is stocked with well-maintained saddles, bridles, and other items of tack. We are a Billy Cook distributor and have different styles of Billy Cook saddles that you can try out. Despite a never-ending war with the enemy: "dust," we keep things tidy and every weekend the tack room is thoroughly cleaned.

Weekly Horsemanship Sessions

Each week, Monday morning after breakfast, there is a mandatory Western Riding & Horsemanship orientation session for first-time guests. Both entertaining and informative, this is where our wranglers explain and demonstrate the basics of riding a working ranch horse. They also cover general safety considerations in handling and being around horses prior to putting you on a horse.

Even experienced riders and guests who return every year to The Hideout gain some helpful tidbits during the Monday horsemanship sessions. And while you tool around the arena on your equine partner, this is also an opportunity to try out the horse and make sure the saddle fits you, prior to your heading for a ride.

Our Hideout wranglers take pride in successfully matching up horse and riders. Their goal is to always provide fun and enjoyable rides at Flitner Ranch. Whether it’s scenic trail riding or herding cattle on our vast Wyoming ranch, in the Bighorn National Forest, or up in the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area. They are always nearby to make any needed adjustments or answer any questions about Western riding and horsemanship you might have.

Apparel. As for apparel, see the information webpage for what you should bring. Plus, The Hideout's Store & Gift Shop also carries most necessary items of Western wear such as hats, leather gloves, and the Heritage line of Ariat boots.

Please also see our webpage about Horsemanship.

All aspects of enjoyable horseback riding and Western horsemanship are in place to ensure a rewarding Western experience during your stay at The Hideout. The only worry you need have is that you might fall in love with The Hideout horse we give you to ride. Because of the quality of the horses in our guest string, our guests often get very fond of their equine partner and some beg us to let them buy it.

Interested in Owning a Flitner Horse?

The Flitner Ranch is a working ranch that not only raises quality Angus beef cattle, we also breed registered Quarter horses that are superb performance animals.

For the experienced rider looking for a well-bred performance horse, have Stewart Reed or Valerie Darlington arrange a consultation with Greg Flitner. A fourth-generation Flitner, Greg is ranch manager. He and his wife Pam produce the Flitner-bred horses, which are some of the finest ranch-raised, registered Quarter horses that can be found.

Coming soon: webpage about the Flitner

QH breeding program.

If you are interested in acquiring either a
Hideout guest string horse or one of the
Flitner-bred, registered Quarter horses, get
ahold of Stewart Reed or Valerie Darlington.

Coming soon: webpage entitled, How We Sell Horses.