Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's What do hands mean?

I hear a lot of talk about 14, 15, 16 hand high etc what does hands stand for in hight?

It I believe just always was a way for a man to have an idea how tall a horse was, no actuall measurement, but even the early uneducated settlers could see how big so many hands would be. Just like so many axe handles wide and such. But I would hazard a guess that it would be a span of about 9" per average open hand But if it is a closed hand then it would be about 5".
<br>But hopefully someone will tell us whether it is with an open or closed hand.
<br>
<br>So Sheister, do you know which way it is, I was only guessing.
<br>Bill

Partsman,
<br>
<br> Hope I never meet you in a dark alley! At 9", that would make a 15 hand horse 11 feet tall! - Sheister

A "hand" is measurement of 4 inches, with one inch increments (ie. 14.1 hand is (14*4")+ 1"), and the measurement is from level ground to the the withers.
<br>
<br>Hope this helps.
<br>
<br>2nd

2nd is right. You might keep in mind that it is a measurement to be taken with a grain of salt. Kinda like all the 30" bucks that got away (grin).
<br>
<br>I have a paint that is a tad under 16 hands. That is a TALL horse. I've yet to have any "horse" people around him who think he'd go under 16-2 and several who'd put him at 17 hands. To me, there is a big difference between 15 and 16 hands, even though there is "only" 4" difference between the two. 17 hands is a flippin' BIG animal!!!!!!!!!!

I don't have to stoop much to walk under my partners 17 h mule.
<br>
<br>It's quite a sight when I ride my 13 h halflinger with him.
<br>
<br>Had one mule that big and almost got nose bleeds every time I rode her

Beagle Hunter, the average man's hand back before the days of Daniel Boone and some others was a span of 4 " inches across the palm like Shiester stated. The average height on a man back in those days was 5' 8", a tall man stood 6 foot.
<br>
<br>

Hi Guys, I'm new from the Marlin big bore page, a Hand is 4 inches from the ground to the point of the withers, I hope this helps muleskinner50

One final bit of clarification (in case the poster does not know where the withers are either).

The withers is a flat spot on the horse's shoulder directly above the front legs and at the base of the neck.

In order to properly measure the horse's height, use a 3 to 5 foot long carpenter's level. Place the horse on flat, level ground. Place one end of the level on the withers, the other end should be held out to the side of the horse (level, of course). Measure the distance from the level to the ground. I have seen special tools for this purpose, but I have never used one.

Five feet = 15 hands. Five foot four inches = 16 hands. Five foot eight inches = 17 hands. Six feet at the withers = 18 hands (this is a BIG horse--Clydesdale, Shire, etc.).

Most 1/4 horses fall between 15 and 16 hands (with lots of individual variation).

Also, to compare properly ask whether the horse was shod when it was measured. Some shoes (especially on show horses) can add an inch (just like in people).

Did I forget anything?

BMT

Just some random thoughts on this size thing; took one of my aged geldings to a horse sale in Billings, MT, a couple of weekends back. He lost his place in the string to some new blood I picked up this spring. A 4 year old mare (popping fine, 15 hand, dark grey, handles great, and best; a quiet disposition), and a 10 year old gelding (red dun, grade, 14 hands, also calm. Your basic mountain pony).
Anyway, this sale in Billings was a "ranch horse" sale. I had no idea there was that kind of money to be made in raising cows ;-). Any horses I'd have been interested in were going for $3500-$6000 and up. Couple of things struck me. First, I bet better than half the people there were wearing spurs. We're talking inside the sale building, up in the seats! Good Lord, talk about a veritable orgy of cowboy culture....
The other thing was the size of some of those horses. Heading horses, mainly. The withers on quite a few hit me about eye level, which puts 'em about 16-2. That is a BIG frickin' horse! Way too big for my purposes.... I'd like to see somebody lift an elk quarter onto one of those, from the downhill side! Not to mention the extra space they'd take up in the trailer.
And besides, I'd probably have to get me a set of spurs....