hHorses come in different sizes and shapes, and their bodies vary depending on their breed, diet, and activity level. You need to determine how tall is a horse because it will help you monitor its feeding needs and exercise level.
Plus, it is crucial information you need when choosing the right horse for you. The right way to measure the horse height is from the highest horse’s withers point to the ground. Let’s see.
Hand Unit
A hand unit is equal to 4 inches (10 cm), and you need to use it to measure a horse to the wither, the highest horse shoulders’ point. Even though you can trace the hand to the ancient Egyptians, Henry VIII was the one who standardized it to 4 inches (10 cm) in 1541.
Horse height measurement |
|||||
| Hands | Inches (m) | Hands | Inches (m) | Hands | Inches (m) |
| 7 | 28 (0.71) | 11 | 44 (1.12) | 15 | 60 (1.52) |
| 7.1 | 29 (0.74) | 11.1 | 45 (1.14) | 15.1 | 61 (1.55) |
| 7.2 | 30 (0.76) | 11.2 | 46 (1.17) | 15.2 | 62 (1.57) |
| 7.3 | 31 (0.79) | 11.3 | 47 (1.19) | 15.3 | 63 (1.60) |
| 8 | 32 (0.81) | 12 | 48 (1.22) | 16 | 64 (1.63) |
| 8.1 | 33 (0.84) | 12.1 | 49 (1.25) | 16.1 | 65 (1.65) |
| 8.2 | 34 (0.86) | 12.2 | 50 (1.27) | 16.2 | 66 (1.68) |
| 8.3 | 35 (0.89) | 12.3 | 51 (1.29) | 16.3 | 67 (1.70) |
| 9 | 36 (0.91) | 13 | 52 (1.32) | 17 | 68 (1.73) |
| 9.1 | 37 (0.94) | 13.1 | 53 (1.35) | 17.1 | 69 (1.75) |
| 9.2 | 38 (0.97) | 13.2 | 54 (1.37) | 17.2 | 70 (1.78) |
| 9.3 | 39 (0.99) | 13.3 | 55 (1.39) | 17.3 | 71 (1.80) |
| 10 | 40 (1.02) | 14 | 56 (1.42) | 18 | 72 (1.83) |
| 10.1 | 41 (1.04) | 14.1 | 57 (1.45) | 18.1 | 73 (1.85) |
| 10.2 | 42 (1.07) | 14.2 | 58 (1.47) | 18.2 | 74 (1.89) |
| 10.3 | 43 (1.09) | 14.3 | 59 (1.50) | ||
The system of measuring horses is not complicated at all. Since a hand is equal to 4 inches, the calculation is:
1hh = WH x 4 inches + FH
WH – the whole hand number
FH – the hand fraction
For instance:
12 hands tall horse will have 12 x 4 + 0 = 48 inches
12.2 hands tall horse will have 12.2 x 4 + 2 = 50 inches
Nowadays, the hand is the primary measuring unit for horses in Britain, Ireland, Australia, the US, Canada, India, and South Africa. Most European countries use meters and centimeters for the same purpose.
Horse Types
You can classify horses into three major groups based on height, but you can sometimes find subcategories like small, Shetland, and draft horses, as well.
Horse heigh |
||
| Horse type | Hands | Inches (meters) |
| Miniature | 6.2 hands | 26 to 28 inches (66 – 70 cm) |
| 7 hands | 28 inches (71 cm) | |
| 7.2 hands | 30 inches (76 cm) | |
| 8 hands | 32 inches (81 cm) | |
| Small | 8.2 hands | 34 inches (86 cm) |
| 9 hands | 36 inches (91 cm) | |
| 9.2 hands | 38 inches (97 cm) | |
| Shetland | 10 hands | 40 inches (1.02 m) |
| 10.2 hands | 42 inches (1.07 m) | |
| 11 hands | 44 inches (1.12 m) | |
| Pony | 11.2 hands | 46 inches (1.17 m) |
| 12 hands | 48 inches (1.22 m) | |
| 12.2 hands | 50 inches (1.27 m) | |
| 13 hands | 52 inches (1.32 m) | |
| 13.2 hands | 54 inches (1.37 m) | |
| Horse | 14 hands | 56 inches (1.42 m) |
| 14.2 hands | 58 inches (1.47 m) | |
| 15 hands | 60 inches (1.53 m) | |
| 15.2 hands | 62 inches (1.58 m) | |
| 16 hands | 64 inches (1.63 m) | |
| 16.2 hands | 66 inches (1.68 m) | |
| 17 hands | 68 inches (1.73 m) | |
| 17.2 hands | 70 inches (1.78 m) | |
| 18 hands | 72 inches (1.83 m) | |
| 18.2 hands | 74 inches (1.89 m) | |
Most adult full-size horses’ height is in a range from 14.2 to 16.2 hands. Even though most riders consider 15 to 15.2 hands high medium-sized horses the most comfortable, novices find the smaller horse a better option for ride learning.
Miniatures
Miniatures are dwarf horses that breeders got by separating genes that create this desirable trait. Such a toy horse can be a favorite pet, or you can use it for cart driving.
They are always shorter than 9.2 hands or 38 inches (97 cm), but you can find classifications that consider as miniatures the animals under 8 hands or 32 inches (81 cm). Taller animals go in a group of small horses.
Pony height |
||
| Breed | Height | |
| Shetland pony | 7 to 10.2 hands | 28 to 42 inches (71 – 107 cm) |
| Spotted pony | 8 to 14 hands | 32 to 56 inches (81–142 cm) |
| Dartmoor pony | 11.1 to 12.2 hands | 45 to 50 inches (114 – 127 cm) |
| Exmoor pony | 11.1 to 12.3 hands | 45 to 51 inches (114 – 130 cm) |
| Welara | 11.2 to 15 hands | 46 to 60 inches (117 – 152 cm) |
| Eriskay pony | 12 to 13.2 hands | 48 to 54 inches (122 – 137 cm) |
| Hackney pony | 12 to 14 hands | 48 to 56 inches (122 – 142 cm) |
| New Forest pony | 12 to 14.2 hands | 48 to 58 inches (122 – 147 cm) |
| Welsh Pony | 12.2 to 13.2 hands | 50 to 54 inches (127 – 137 cm) |
| Connemara pony | 12.2 to 14.2 hands | 50 to 58 inches (127 – 147 cm) |
| Dales pony | 13 to 14 hands | 52 to 56 inches (132 – 142 cm) |
| Highland pony | 13 to 14.2 hands | 52 to 58 inches (132 – 147 cm) |
| Fell pony | 13.2 to 14 hands | 54 to 56 inches (137 – 142 cm) |
Ponies
Ponies are horses that measure from 10 to 13.2 hands or 40 inches (1.02 m) to 54 inches (1.37 m). You can sometimes find subcategorized ponies as small, medium, and large. Keep in mind that only a horse under 14.2 hands or 58 inches (1.47m) in height is considered a pony in UK competitions.
Horses
Any type of horse taller than 14.2 hands goes to this group, but some of them can reach even 18.2 hands or 74 inches (1.89 m). Only a few horses are about 19.2 hands or 78 inches (1.98 m) tall.
Horse height |
||
| Breed | Height | |
| Spanish Mustang | 12 to 14 hands | 48 to 56 inches (122 – 142 cm) |
| Halfinger | 13.2 to 15 hands | 54 to 60 inches (140 – 152 cm) |
| Gypsy Vanner | 14 to 15 hands | 56 to 60 inches (142 – 152 cm) |
| Morgan | 14 to 15 hands | 56 to 60 inches (142 – 152 cm) |
| Walkaloosa | 14 to 15 hands | 56 to 60 inches (142 – 152 cm) |
| American Standardbred | 14 to 15 hands | 56 to 60 inches (142 – 153 cm) |
| Appaloosa | 14 to 15.3 hands | 56 to 63 inches (142 – 160 cm) |
| American Quarter Horse | 14 to 16.1 hands | 56 to 65 inches (142 – 165 cm) |
| Paso Fino | 14.1 to 15 hands | 55 to 60 inches (140 – 152 cm) |
| Arabian | 14.1 to 15.1 hands | 55 to 61 inches (140 – 155 cm) |
| Tennessee Walker | 15 to 15.1 hands | 60 to 61 inches (152 – 155 cm) |
| Lipizzaner | 15 to 15.3 hands | 60 to 63 inches (152 – 160 cm) |
| Criollo | 15 to 15.3 hands | 60 to 63 inches (152 – 160 cm) |
| Paint Horse | 15 to 16 hands | 60 to 64 inches (152 – 163 cm) |
| American Saddlebred | 15 to 16.1 hands | 60 to 65 inches (152 – 165 cm) |
| Andalusian | 15 to 16.1 hands | 60 to 65 inches (152 – 165 cm) |
| Hackney | 15 to 16.2 hands | 60 to 66 inches (152 – 168 cm) |
| Gypsy Vanner | 15 to 16.2 hands | 60 to 66 inches (152 – 168 cm) |
| Orlov Trotter | 15 to 17 hands | 60 to 68 inches (152 – 173 cm) |
| American Cream draft | 15 to 17 hands | 60 to 68 inches (152 – 173 cm) |
| American Warmblood | 15 to 17 hands | 60 to 68 inches (152 – 173 cm) |
| Belgian Draft | 15 to 17.3 hands | 60 to 71 inches (152 – 180 cm) |
| Westphalian | 15.2 to 17.2 hands | 62 to 70 inches (157 – 178 cm) |
| Ardennes | 15.3 to 16.1 hands | 63 to 65 inches (160 – 165 cm) |
| Irish Draught | 15.3 to 16.1 hands | 63 to 65 inches (160 – 165 cm) |
| Dutch Warmblood | 15.3 to 17 hands | 63 to 68 inches (160 – 173 cm) |
| Suffolk | 15.3 to 17 hands | 63 to 68 inches (160 – 173 cm) |
| Trakehner | 15.3 to 17 hands | 63 to 68 inches (160 – 173 cm) |
| Thoroughbred | 15.3 to 17.2 hands | 63 to 70 inches (160 – 178 cm) |
| Percheron | 16 to 17 hands | 64 to 68 inches (160 – 173 cm) |
| Holsteiner | 16 to 17 hands | 64 to 68 inches (160 – 173 cm) |
| Shire | 16 to 17 hands | 64 to 68 inches (163 – 173 cm) |
| Swedish Warmblood | 16 to 17 hands | 64 to 68 inches (163 – 173 cm) |
| Hanoverian | 16 to 17.2 hands | 64 to 70 inches (163 – 178 cm) |
| Oldenburg | 16 to 17.3 hands | 64 to 71 inches (163 – 180 cm) |
| Cleveland Bay | 16 to 17.3 hands | 64 to 71 inches (163 – 180 cm) |
| Clydesdale | 16 to 18 hands | 64 to 68 inches (163 – 173 cm) |
The average horse height depends on the specific breed. For instance, Quarter Horses usually reach 15 hands or 60 inches (1.52 m), which allows them to fulfill their purposes.
On the other hand, Thoroughbreds are used for racing, and they need to be taller. On average, they stand at least 16 hands or 64 inches (1.63 m). Finally, Draft horses are the highest ones and range from 17 to 19 hands or 68 inches (1.73 m) to 76 inches (1.93 m).
Summary
Determining the horse’s height is crucial for practicing good horsemanship. This measurement determines the particular breed and represents the necessary information for calculating the meal size and medication dose when needed.
