Get To know us
About Us
What Drives Us
La Esperanza is more than a farm; it’s a peaceful space where people reconnect with themselves through the gentle presence of horses. Here, nature’s sounds replace noise, and children and adults find freedom to explore, learn, and grow in an environment grounded in experiential learning, and emotional well-being.
It’s a place of smiles, fresh air, and lasting impact that supports resilience, confidence, and growth.
Our Mission
Our mission at La Esperanza is to offer transformative learning experiences through meaningful interactions with horses. To share and inspire a love for nature and especially for animals,
with a special place in our hearts for the Horse.
Founder & Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator
Meet Karina Ruber Albert
For years, Karina worked as a kindergarten teacher, helping children grow through creativity, patience, and connection. But something was always calling her deeper—toward nature, animals.
Everything changed when she began volunteering on a farm and met Sunny, the horse who changed her life. Through he, she experienced how horses can gently mirror your emotions, break down your walls, and guide you back to yourself—without words.
That powerful connection inspired her to study equine-assisted learning and create La Esperanza, a space where others could experience the same transformation she had. Since then, she's helped children find their confidence, parents find hope, and adults reconnect with the
peace they had lost.
Welcome to La Esperanza. A place where the soul breathes.
Where horses help you come back to yourself.
The Story Behind
La Esperanza:
Karina has loved animals for as long as she can remember. Her connection with them began in childhood when her father came home with a motorcycle helmet and inside was a puppy. From that moment on, animals became an inseparable part of her life.
After moving to Canada and spending over a decade volunteering on a local farm with mentor Victoria Barnes-Ayres, Karina met a horse named Sunny who changed her life. That bond, along with the encouragement of Victoria and her partner Stu, inspired her to create La Esperanza (The Hope); a place where people and horses help one another heal.
With more than 23 years of experience as a kindergarten teacher, Karina combines her background in early childhood education with her certification from The Equine Connection School of Equine-Assisted Learning, as well as several other certifications, which you can find listed in our FAQ. Her work brings together animals, art, music, and emotional growth to help children and adults build confidence, find calm, and reconnect with themselves. She speaks three languages; English, Spanish, and Hebrew, and carries the word LOVE in everything she does.
She believes every living being, no matter how big or small, deserves love, kindness, and the chance to be truly seen.
