Bella Hadid appears to be embracing a quieter chapter in her personal life following the reported end of her romance with cowboy and professional equestrian Adan Banuelos.
While the supermodel has kept any new relationship firmly under wraps, recent sightings have fueled fresh speculation about the man now spending time by her side.
What has surprised many, however, isn’t just his identity, but the background he comes from and the low-key approach Hadid seems determined to maintain.
Bella Hadid isn’t rushing to define her love life, but that hasn’t stopped speculation from growing.
Months after her reported breakup with Banuelos, the model has been linked to Nathan Lacy, a Colorado native whose identity remained a mystery when the pair were first spotted together in Milan in February.
Photos of the supermodel walking alongside a man in a Stetson hat immediately caught fans’ attention, but only recently was he identified as the 38-year-old project manager with a passion for horses.
Insiders say Lacy comes from a family that has long been established in Crested Butte, Colorado. His relatives reportedly own a construction business that has served the area for generations and also maintain property in Texas.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, one source described the family as “very Catholic, very conservative and very red,” a background that stands in contrast to Hadid’s public support for causes including Palestinian rights and the transgender community.
Hadid Is Reportedly Keeping Things Casual After Her Split
Those close to Bella Hadid say she has no interest in diving headfirst into another serious relationship.
Although rumors circulated earlier this year that she and Banuelos were attempting to reconcile after they were seen together, insiders now claim the 29-year-old has instead been spending time in Crested Butte, where Lacy lives.
Even so, sources insist the relationship is still in its early stages.
“She does have someone she’s hanging out with, but he’s just someone she’s getting to know,” one insider explained, adding, “So don’t get too excited about it. I think she’s just trying to have a companion, she’s not trying to get married, she’s not trying to make this more than it is.”
According to the same source, Hadid was deeply affected by the end of her relationship with Banuelos and had even told friends she planned to avoid dating for at least a year after the breakup.
“The Adan thing took a lot out of her, she really loved him, he loved her, it didn’t work. She was hurt and it took some time for her to get past it,” the insider added.
Bella Hadid’s Texas Life Has Influenced Her New Romance
Despite the growing attention surrounding Lacy, insiders say Hadid is refusing to get carried away.
“He makes her happy for now, but she’s not talking about him every minute,” one source noted, further adding, “She’s not acting like this is anything more than a very good friend who she is getting to know.”
Even with a new companion in the picture, insiders say the fashion model’s priorities haven’t changed.
According to one source, Hadid still gravitates toward men who live the same rugged lifestyle she has embraced since moving to Texas.
“She does have a type – the rugged handsome cowboy, outdoors, not impressed with fashion or style. Just a guy,” the insider said, adding, “That’s what she always says, ‘I want a guy.’ She wants someone who seems blue collar. She wants him to look the part and to have a strong work ethic.”
Hadid And Banuelos’ Different Worlds Reportedly Pulled Them Apart
Although Bella Hadid fully embraced the cowboy lifestyle during her relationship with Banuelos, insiders claim the former couple ultimately discovered that sharing a love of horses wasn’t enough to overcome their very different worlds.
According to Page Six, Banuelos struggled to adapt to the demands that came with dating one of fashion’s biggest stars.
“She tried to put him in her life and it’s all cute, but he is in a very insular world of rodeos. He tried, but it’s too much,” one source said.
The insider also pointed to their vastly different upbringings, noting, “She’s the daughter of Mohamed and Yolanda Hadid. It’s such a different way of growing up.”
They added that Hadid’s frequent travel, including flying on private jets because of her chronic Lyme disease, was very different from Banuelos’ quieter rodeo-centered lifestyle.
Despite their emotional connection and shared passion for horses, sources claimed those differences eventually became impossible to ignore.
Bella Hadid Faced Another Personal Battle Away From Her Dating Life
While Hadid’s love life has generated plenty of headlines in recent months, her reported romance wasn’t the only deeply personal chapter she shared with fans this year.
In June, the star made headlines when she revealed she was battling another painful Lyme disease flare-up, offering a heartbreaking glimpse into the health struggles she has faced for more than a decade.
Posting a tearful selfie on her Instagram Stories, Hadid wrote per The Blast, “Haven’t been able to shake off this flare up. Slept 11 hours. Again… Took every protocol from any and every doctor I’ve ever seen. Still nothing helping.”
She later explained just how debilitating the episode had become, adding, “And no I didn’t go on a walk because I was out of breath walking to the kitchen,” before celebrating the small victory of managing to shower without fainting.
Despite the setback, Hadid reassured followers that she remained hopeful while continuing treatment for her chronic illness.
