Questions
How tall is a horse?
A horse's height is measured in hands to the withers, with one hand equal to four inches.
Height is measured in "hands" from the ground to the withers — the ridge where the neck meets the back — rather than to the top of the head. One hand equals four inches, so a horse measuring "15.2 hh" stands 15 hands and 2 inches, or 62 inches, at the withers.
The measurement also draws the line between horses and ponies: as a broad rule, anything at or under 14.2 hh is classed as a pony, and anything taller is a horse. It's not about age or breed alone: a fully grown Welsh pony will always measure under that line, while some horse breeds only reach it as adults. If a pony rather than a horse is who you're shopping for, see our gifts for Welsh pony owners, and for the terms around sex and age, read what is a gelding.
Written by Craig Fearn, Stable & Hoof.
From the journal