The Reasons You Don't See As Much Of Bella Hadid Anymore

After more than a decade at the top of the modeling industry, Bella Hadid stepped back to care for her health — physical and mental. And she has been using the time to get back to her equestrian roots as she recovers from health conditions. "After 10 years of modeling, I realized I was putting so much energy and love and effort into something that, in the long run, wasn't necessarily giving it back to me," she told Allure in April 2024.

The model has suffered from chronic disease since she was young. In 2013, Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a tickborne infection that can cause a wide range of symptoms. She also has other disorders for which she receives periodic treatment. "Living with a few chronic auto immune disorders = always finding time for my IVs," she captioned a February 2021 Instagram post that showed her getting her hair done with an IV on her arm. Her recovery has had ups and downs.

In 2023, she experienced another flare-up that required lengthy treatment. That August, Hadid shared candid photos from her recovery to Instagram, suggesting that's why she had stepped away from the spotlight. "I'll be back when I'm ready," she wrote. Amid everything she's gone through, she also struggled with anxiety and depression. "For three years while I was working, I would wake up every morning hysterical, in tears, alone," she told Vogue in 2022. Since then, she's learned to prioritize herself. Horseback riding is helping with that. 

In 2023, Bella Hadid packed her belongings and swapped the glamour of New York for the vastness of Texas. In March 2024, she purchased a home in Forth Worth, where she had spent the previous year regaining her strength with the help of horses. In January 2024, she showed off her skills when she placed eighth in a National Cutting Horse Association amateur event. Bella's interest in competitive cutting may be a newer development, but she's no stranger to horseback riding. 

Bella grew up on a horse farm in Santa Barbara, where she fell in love with the animals thanks to her mother, Yolanda Hadid. "My devotion stemmed from my mom's love of horses. I have been riding since I could walk and the fact that my mom knew everything about horses really helped my passion grow," she told Porter in 2015 (via Just Jared). She had enough talent to compete for a spot in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. But her dream was thwarted by her health struggles.

Bella had to give up horseback riding because of Lyme disease. "This was the biggest heartbreak of her life," Yolanda wrote in a January 2016 Bravo blog post. After all these years, she's back on the saddle and seems happier than ever. "Thank you to all the great trainers and people who allowed me to ride their incredible horses. And my Lucy, Blue, Ami. I love these animals," she captioned an August 2023 Instagram post.

While Bella Hadid's love for horses stems from her lavish childhood, her newfound passion for cutting may have something to do with her boyfriend. At some point in 2023, Hadid quietly started dating Adan Banuelos, a professional horse cutter and National Cutting Horse Association Riders Hall of Famer since 2017 — one of the youngest horsemen to ever be inducted. It's unclear when their romance started, but they were first publicly linked in October 2023, when TMZ shared a video of them kissing and walking hand-in-hand through the streets of North Texas. 

In the Allure interview, Hadid referred to Banuelos as her partner, suggesting the relationship is serious. They reportedly live together and split their time between her place and his, also in Forth Worth, according to TMZ. Hadid seemingly went public with the relationship for the first time in January 2024, when she showed her and Banuelos holding hands in an Instagram photo dump that showed she has fully embraced the cowboy lifestyle.

Banuelos had uploaded a video of Bella practicing just two days earlier. "Proud of our girl. Bella and #MetallicTito taking home 3rd place at their first show out!" he captioned the Instagram post. "Can't wait to see what the future holds for this duo." Hadid seems to have no regrets about her new life. "Bella and Adan are in love and her family and friends have never seen her this happy," a source told ET in February 2024.