Where We’re From Chris grew up in Scituate, Massachusetts, a beach town near Boston. Jef grew up in Duffel, Belgium, or “the duffel bag town,” as Chris calls it. It’s no coincidence their life together feels like the perfect holiday. Chris has been riding since he was a kid and never really stopped. Jef’s road to horses was… less straight. There was some riding, a little engineering, a detour into party planning, a brief sweater line, and eventually a leap back into the one thing he couldn’t shake: becoming a professional rider and trainer. ⸻ How We Met That leap brought Jef to Wellington, the winter capital of the equestrian world, and to Chris, who was literally underneath a horse wrapping polos when they met. Not exactly the swoony movie moment, but it stuck. A few years and a few life twists later, they bumped into each other again. This time the timing was better… and here we are. ⸻ Life Together We’ve built our life on the road: horse shows, long drives, early mornings, and a lot of dirt. Jef is the “let’s go out” one. Chris is the “let’s stay in and make a giant bowl of egg rice” one. And yes, he raises his own chickens, with fresh eggs year-round, even during the Great Egg Crisis of 2025. Chris is a creature of habit. Jef is more of a “spot the dirty dishes , tell Chris about the dirty dishes” kind of person. Luckily for Chris, Jef is also a laundry freak. So if Chris looks extra polished, there is probably a freshly folded pile of whites and tans nearby. ⸻ The Proposal They are not exactly the same when it comes to time. Jef is always ten minutes early. Chris is always ten minutes late, just like his mom and grandfather. Guess it is a family trait. So when Chris planned to propose on the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Traverse City, Michigan, the moment, or as he likes to say “time,” slipped away and he had to improvise. Instead, he found a quiet hill by a vineyard, surrounded by family, and asked the question that changed everything. Not the plan… but perfect. ⸻ What We’re Building Since then, it has been horses, dogs, clients, chaos, and a lot of love. Chris started Hatherly in November 2024, and by September 2025, Jef joined him full-time, turning it into a true team effort. Now they work side by side, chasing goals, raising dogs, folding laundry, and doing what they love most. ⸻ With a Lot of Gratitude We know how lucky we are. Our families may not see us for every holiday or birthday, but they have always cheered us on and let us be exactly who we are. And to our people, the clients who trust us with their horses and dreams, and the amazing team who keeps everything running, you are the reason we get to do this. We couldn’t, and wouldn’t want to, do it without you. ⸻ Us A little chaotic, a lot hilarious, and completely, perfectly us.