a ruler and a hand

How Do You Measure a Horse's Height?

How Do You Measure a Horse's Height?

a ruler and a hand

Horses are measured from the ground to the top of the withers. The withers is the highest point of the back. It is created by the vertebrae between the shoulder blades.

Traditionally, horses are measured in "hands."  One horse hand (or hh) is 4 inches long (10 centimeters). It's about the width of a man's fist. So 1 ¼ is written 1.1 hands, while 1 ¾ hands is written 1.3 hands.

This horse is a Selle Français. It’s 16 horse hands (5 feet 4 inches, or 163 centimeters) high.

horse from side view against lines in 1 hand increments showing the top of the horse's shoulder lining up with the 16 hand measuring line

One of the tallest breeds, the Shire, can reach 19 hands high (76 inches, or 193 centimeters). Miniature horses can be as small as 5 hands high (20 inches, or 51 centimeters).

Credits

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Image Credits:

horse image, © AMNH.