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A 'hand' (or 'handbreadth') is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 4 inches long (about 10 cm). When used to measure height, it is abbreviated "h" (for "hands") or "hh" (standing for "hands high")^[1]
Today it is primarily used to describe the height of horses, ponies, and other equines in a number of different countries, including the USA, Australia, and the UK. In this context, one hand equals four inches (10.16 cm), and the horse is measured from the ground to the top of the withers. ^[2] So a horse that is 15 hands high (abbreviated 15 hh) is 60 inches (152 cm) from the ground to the top of the withers. Instead of decimal or vulgar fractions, a hand comprises four inch-long steps, so a horse 62 inches (157 cm) tall would be 15.2 hh (said “fifteen two hands high”).
A pony is up to 14.2hh (147 cm or 58 inches). In the United States, ponies are further divided into:

★ Small Pony: 12.2 hh or smaller

★ Medium Pony: larger than 12.2 hh, up to 13.2 hh

★ Large Pony: larger than 13.2 hh, up to 14.2 hh
A miniature horse is either shorter than 9.2 or 8.2 hh, depending on the registry. The world's smallest horse, Thumbelina, is just 4.1 hh.^[3]
For Fédération Equestre Internationale purposes a horse can be measured with shoes on or off. In the United Kingdom much official measurement of horses is overseen by the Joint Measurement Board (JMB). For JMB purposes, the shoes must be removed before measurement.

Contents

See also

References

See also

★ Horse

★ Pony

★ List of horse breeds, includes a discussion of the differences between horses and ponies

References

1. http://www.helium.com/tm/184988/measure-horses-hands
2. http://www.lovelongears.com/hands.html Shlei, "Just how tall is a hand?" ''Measuring Equines'', The American Donkey and Mule Society, accessdate = 5-19-2007
3. http://www.worldssmallesthorse.com/