In the United States, the most common unit for measuring a horse or pony’s height is the hand. One hand is equal to 4 inches. Some small equine breeds, such as Miniature Horses, are measured in inches. And, in some countries around the world, horses and ponies alike are measured in centimeters.
Unlike humans, a horse’s height isn’t measured from the ground to the top of his head. Rather, it’s most often measured from the ground to the top of his withers—where the neck intersects the shoulder and usually the back’s highest point.
The exceptions: Some height-restricted breeds (basically, ones in which the size of the animal has a bearing on whether you can register him or which registry he’s eligible for), including Miniature Horses, are measured from the ground to the last hair of the mane. If you’re not sure if your horse needs to be measured differently from the norm, ask your horse’s breed registry or an experienced horsey friend or trainer for help.
Equids 14.2 hands (that is, 14 hands, 2 inches) and under are considered ponies, while those 14.3 hands and up are considered horses.
Measuring Your Horse
Follow these steps to calculate your horse’s exact height:
Step 1: Grab a helper, and decide who’s going to measure and who’s going to hold your horse.
Step 2: Find a flat, level area on which to stand your horse; a concrete slab (like you might see in a wash rack or some barn aisles), a firm driveway, or an unbedded stall (bedding won’t allow you to get a precise measurement) work well. Be sure your horse is standing “square” (with his legs straight and forming a rectangle, sort of like table legs) so he’s balanced.
Step 3: Place your measuring device—usually a measuring stick or tape (and some weight tapes have hand measurements on one side)—and place it perpendicular to the ground, as close to your horse’s side as possible. Use a carpentry level to ensure your measuring device is perfectly vertical. Then, use the level (or the appropriate part of your measuring stick) to mark the horse’s withers height on the stick or tape.
Be careful, and move slowly; the measuring stick or tape might cause some horses to spook or become frightened.
Step 4: See how tall your horse is. Some measuring sticks and tapes give readings in hands, while others do so in inches. If your measuring device uses inches, simply convert the measurement to hands by dividing the total inches measured by 4, with any remaining inches kept as such. For example, a horse that measures 62 inches is 15 hands 2 inches, or 15.2.
Step 5: Repeat the process to ensure accuracy. If you find a significant difference between two measurements, take a third measurement and use the average of the three.
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