This ranch combines yoga and horsemanship in healing therapy

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In the sleepy little farm town of Canutillo, Texas – just across the river from El Paso, is the 20-acre Rio Grande Valley Ranch that boards horses, steers, ponies and even goats . The ranch is also home to a some horses that are specially trained to help people with special needs. The horses are used to connect with people who have disabilities such as social disorders, confidence issues, PTSD, fetal alchohol syndrome, Downs syndrome, autism and even young abuse victims.

Noel Cass and her friend Rita Nicolini operate KNJ Therapeutic, which helps about five people a day break through the wall built by their disabilities. Cass was trained in Phoenix and is PATH certified, which stands for Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship. She has been in the field for 10 years.

Borderland fencing studio preps athletes for sharp competition

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El Paso is not known for being a fencing city but through the efforts of Master Margaret De Long that is changing. Tucked away on the corner of Octavia and Yandell streets in Downtown El Paso is the Salle De Long Fencing studio. The clang of foils striking is ever present, along with the beads of sweat rolling off hard-working students’ foreheads. The classes are taught by fencing master Margaret De Long who has been in El Paso for the past 30 years and instructing students at the Salle De Long Fencing and Wellness Center since 2002. In order for her to attain the title she had to master the foil, épée and saber which are the main weapons of the sport. Her specialty is the foil, which is one of the most fundamental weapons and most technical of the sport.