The established method for determining a horse’s height involves utilizing a unit of measurement known as a hand. One hand is equivalent to four inches. The process necessitates the use of a measuring stick, ideally a specialized horse measuring stick calibrated in hands and inches. The stick is placed perpendicular to the ground at the highest point of the horse’s withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades) to obtain an accurate measurement.
This system provides a standardized way to communicate a horse’s size, essential for breed registration, competition eligibility, and determining appropriate tack and equipment size. Its origins lie in the historical practice of using the average width of a human hand as a readily available standard of measure. Maintaining this convention allows for consistent categorization and assessment of equine stature across different disciplines and geographical locations.
