By Lani Gering
The Horse ‘N Hound
Saddlery – Gifts – Outdoor Wear – Pet Supply

No better time of year to check out an out of the way store that caters to the “horsey” set…and more…than in the fall. I know that lots of you are probably “leaf peepers” and will be trekking to the Blue Ridge to take in the foliage at some point in time this month and the Horse ‘N Hound (HNH) in Flint Hill is a must stop.
Proprietor Sheila Whaley, a native of England who made her way to the US via Canada, is an avid lover of horses and has worked with them in a variety of capacities nearly all of her grown life. Her last employ in that area was working with the rehabilitation of them. The physicality of the job was becoming too much so she changed careers and started working in the retail end of all things equine. In 2006 she acquired Horse ‘N Hound and the rest is history.
HNH is a very eclectic place. It is very unassuming from the exterior but fascinating on the interior. It really is a little hard to explain here in print (see accompanying photos). There most definitely is everything that the fox hunting set and hunter jumpers are looking for as well as for the recreational rider. However, on and above that, she has a great selection of outerwear including some of my very favorite line of boots – Ariat – and of some of the coolest socks that I have seen in quite some time. For those of you who love your “hounds” there are socks with images of every breed out there. If she doesn’t have your favorite, I bet she can order it. My favorites are the brightly colored “solmate socks”. These socks don’t even match! Perfect! Either of these would make fantastic “stocking stuffers” for the upcoming gift giving season. There are other things in the gift/accessorie line ranging from beautiful jewelry, purses, hats and gloves and scarves to fun cards and kids games.
While HNH has a full line of proper riding attire, there are clothes that are interchangeable for riding, skiing, hiking, and even sailing, yes I said sailing. The materials in the jackets and shirts are all conducive to weathering the elements of our area.
Next in the line of inventory at HNH are the pet supplies for both the canine and feline friends that may reside at your house. Sheila admitted that she really isn’t a “hound” person and much prefers the company of her two felines Prudence and Timothy, however, this doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have top of the line food and supplies for both species.
I have saved the best for last…..HNH handles the ever popular “BugZooka”! This item is a must have for anyone in the area that has had the pleasure of a Stink Bug infestation. The BugZooka is handy for removing lots of annoying insects that migrate into your living space. It actually sucks the bugs into a removable catch tube with the simple push of a button all without the need of batteries. You will have to check it out!
Horse ‘N Hound markets their wares online as well as selling directly at the store. If you can’t make it to Flint Hill this fall, check out their inventory online. Some of the accessories are not available online and they are really the most fun part of the store so I recommend taking the drive. It’s only about and hour and a half from Old Town when you take a leisurely drive!

Horse N Hound
667 Zachary Taylor Highway
Flint Hill, VA
540-675-1650
Horsenhound.com