The Staff at Hidden Trails

Ryan Schmidt, owner of Hidden Trails, was born in Germany and emigrated to the USA and then to Canada in the late 70s after finishing college with a major in business administration. Ryan then owned and operated a wilderness lodge in the Coast Mountains of BC, where he was an outfitter, riding and fly fishing guide for 10+ years. In 1997 he started Hidden Trails. Due to his personal hands-on experiences and extensive travels all over the world, he has a vast knowledge of the majority of the Hidden Trails equestrian and outdoor adventure tours.  He has tested scores of trips on many continents. You want to make sure you talk to him about rides in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico Costa Rica and Belize and many more. He will be happy to share his experience in leading riding tours and in assessing the qualities of the various tours Hidden Trails offers. If you are not sure what trip best fits you, Ryan is excellent at finding just the right holiday destination for you.

Barbara Arnold, operations manager and shareholder of Hidden Trails grew up in the Netherlands. She developed a love for travel at an early age and travelled all over Europe, Northern Africa and Asia with her parents. She studied at the University of Victoria and graduated in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She has a Travel & Tourism Business Management diploma from the Canadian Tourism College and is proficient in multiple languages (Dutch, English, French, Spanish and some German)
Barbara assisted Ryan with the start up of Hidden Trails in 1997. She is a nature enthusiast who loves horses, dogs, kayaking (flat-water instructor) skiing and many other outdoor activities.
Barbara has escorted safaris in Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) treks in South America (Peru, Argentina and Ecuador) and Central America (Mexico and Costa Rica) riding tours in Europe (Italy, France, Ireland and Scotland) and North America (Arizona, California, British Columbia and Alberta). Barbara has a wealth of knowledge on the destinations we visit, and is here to share her passion for travel, horses and ensure your adventure runs smoothly.  Barbara also specializes in our Galapagos Tours and horse treks in Ecuador after having lived in Ecuador for some time. When it comes to accounts payable and receivable she is also the one to contact.

Lauren Sorel, Trip Consultant at Hidden Trails, grew up in South Delta, British Columbia. She is riding and competing in hunter/jumpers across BC's lower mainland. Throughout the years she has spent many vacations and business trips in various parts of the Caribbean, Mexico, United States and Canada. Her most memorable adventure would be her year spent in New Zealand and Australia backpacking solo and befriending and learning from other travelers from all over the globe. Lauren is currently working on a Psychology degree in the evenings at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and spends her free time walking her dog, horseback riding, reading novels and day dreaming about her next international vacation.