Elwyn Hartley Edwards

Captain Elwyn Hartley Edwards served in the British Army for 13 years as a Gurkha officer in India and Malaya, and was awarded the Military Cross. He was later posted as an instructor of military history at the Indian Military Academy.^[1][2]

Back in England, Edwards worked for Gibson Saddlers, rising to managing director. Edwards was the editor of Riding magazine for 18 years, and the consultant editor for Horse & Hound for five years. He served as a regional chairman of the British Horse Society and as a member of the BHS council, receiving the society's Award of Merit in 1993. He was a vice-president of the Riding for the Disabled Association, and vice-patron of the Horse and Pony Protection Association. He regularly judged horse shows in the UK and was an authority on lorinery (saddlery).^[1][2]

Edwards wrote more than 30 books on horse-related subjects. His books were translated into 12 languages, reprinted numerous times, and Edwards would revise them when there were new developments.^[1] Some books sold over a million copies.^[2]

Genevieve Murphy of The Independent called Edwards "one of the most prolific and authoritative equestrian writers of the 20th century."^[2] British Horse Society Chairman Patrick Print said: "He was a brilliant journalist and one of the world's leading authorities on saddlery and the history of it. He wrote many equestrian books which were published around the globe. Elwyn was a great historian of equitation and always wrote in a forthright manner, particularly in his regular column for the Society's magazine, British Horse."^[3] Cassandra Campbell at his publisher J.A. Allen remarked, "He was a true delight to work with, incredibly charming and generous and very, very funny."^[1]