Hacienda Esperanza is a social enterprise focused on helping people create a life they love by connecting them with horses and nature for learning, personal development and promoting health. We incorporate horses experientially for emotional growth and learning. It is a collaborative effort between a mental health professional and an equine specialists working with the clients and horses to address treatment and learning goals.
We help people create
a life they love.
What we do
Our Programs
At Hacienda Esperanza we have three main areas of focus, EAP, EAL and Health Promotion. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is an experiential modality of mental health treatment. Equine Assisted Learning is an experiential modality broadly encompassing other learning and personal development goals. Both are incorporated in the EAGALA Model and involve activities with horses which provide opportunities for clients or group to gain insights and apply new learning and skills. Non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking and problem-solving, leadership, work, taking responsibility, teamwork and relationships, confidence, and attitude are several example of the tools utilized and developed by EAP/L.
EAP
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
EAL
Equine Assisted Learning
Health Promotion
Nature Based Health Education
Genuine, caring and supportive
Our Vision
To provide people with a safe space to gain insight about themselves and their lives for self-improvement.
Health & Empowerment
The Mission
To provide every community with an opportunity to connect with horses and nature for healing, learning, personal development and health promotion, thus empowering people to live healthy and productive lives.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy, is based on the World Health Organization’s definition of health, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, have hope there are things to be done to create a life you love.
Instinctive, Social and Powerful
Meet the Team
Capricho was acquired in 2008 as a one year old and raised at Hacienda Esperanza. He has such a dynamic personality, he can be loving and gentle at times and at others strong and powerful and even challenging. He is one heck of an escape artist, he is great at opening doors and finding his way to the feed room or the goats feed. If it's green its for him you'll most likely finding him searching or reaching for food. His arch nemesis are the fly’s they can't seem to be shooed away no matter how much swatting and stomping he does. Capricho is the reason Hacienda Esperanza exists, he was the first to show us how healing and empowering horses can be.
I’ll take no bullshit is Lobas attitude, you will know where you stand with her real quick. She is the one you have to build a relationship with she knows who is who around here and will test you. In her previous career she was a Mexican equestrian drill team horse, Escaramuza Charra, with her agility and speed she often lead the abanico exercise, galloping at full speed leading the team of eight side by side fanned out around the arena. She is one you have to warm up to but once your in with mama bear your in with the herd. She was born in 2003 and has been with our family since 2004.
We frequently use the term California Boy to describe him because he hardly grows a winter coat he has blue eyes, blond hair and pink skin and is usually very chill in his stall. He was born at Hacienda Esperanza in 2007, he is the son of Loba our buckskin mare. His ability to love, learn and trust is impressive. He is a very sensitive horse and is quick to react. The most frequent question asked about his color if if he is an albino, and the answer is no, his color is called cremello. He may have been a model in his previous life just point a camera toward him and you'll find out why, we swear no one taught him how to pose.
Gallito is literally our poster child, his coat color combination is that of three ponies we had on our vision board, a white one, a brown one and a blond one, he has all three colors. Gallitos arrival is by pure serendipity, I let anyone and everyone know we were looking for a pony. One day I get a message saying “ya le tengo su pony, se llama gallito, esta muy bonito... te lo regalo se que sera para una buena causa” (I have your pony, his name is “Gallito” (Little Rooster), he is very nice...I will donate him because I know he will be used for a good cause). He arrived and joined our team on on December 31, 2017. My joke since has been “I finally got a pony for Christmas”. Gallito has so much hair that you can hardly see his eyes, especially when he wakes up in the morning talk about bed head. He is mischievous, curious, and full of energy. Very patient with children, he will stand still and let the kids groom him and braid his hair or make various ponytails.
Experiences & Testimonials
Lasting Impressions
Sean T.
Student
“I love horses because they help me understand how we can behave.”
Martha S.
Mom
“I really liked this because it was something new for me and my children and for me it was a different experience, interacting with the horses.”
Mariela T.
Mom
“It has helped me alot, as well as my daughter. It is an excellent therapy program. I want to thank everyone for this opportunity and extend a thank you from myself and my family.”