Ellie Hughes

Ellie has been a freelance writer for Horse & Hound since 2009 having cut her journalistic teeth as assistant and then deputy editor of Eventing magazine.

She has contributed to H&H in a variety of roles, as a reporter for all the main disciplines, features writer, veterinary page coordinator and news writer. She has compiled the eventing highlights page since it first appeared in the magazine in 2010.

Ellie has also written extensively on country lifestyle and rural topics for publications such as Country Life and The Country Smallholder, where she has penned features on matters as diverse as the history of the full English breakfast to the business of rewilding. She has co-written two books — Two Brains, One Aim with Olympic event rider and coach, Eric Smiley, and Happy Days and Winning Ways with former junior and young rider team trainer, Gill Watson.

Ellie has worked for media teams at international events, including London 2012, Royal Windsor, Badminton, Burghley, Blenheim, Gatcombe and Blair.

In the saddle, she is a former Pony Club eventing national champion and has produced several horses from scratch to advanced level, including her very special 15hh homebred Short Changed. She trained one of her former eventers to small tour level in dressage, finishing third in the National Championships at advanced medium, and is now trying to complete the hat-trick of disciplines with her current competition horse, who has recently made the switch from eventing to showjumping.

While not at her desk or on a horse, Ellie runs a busy cross-country schooling course at her home in Kent.