How to measure a horse's height and weight

Knowing your horse's height and weight isn't just for show entries. Height decides which rugs, tack and competition classes fit. Weight is what feed, wormer and medication doses are based on – and tracking it is one of the best early warnings that something is changing.

Pony Club Australia's certificate syllabus expects members to know how a horse's height is measured (PCA Syllabus). The BHS Stage 2 syllabus covers methods of weighing a horse, from a weighbridge to a weigh tape or a visual estimate based on condition, type and height (BHS Stage 2 Care).

Height: hands and centimetres

Horses in Australia and New Zealand are measured in hands, and increasingly in centimetres too. Equestrian Australia's measuring rules define a hand as 4 inches and require heights to be recorded in both centimetres and hands (EA Measuring Rules). Agriculture Victoria rounds a hand to 10.2 cm (Agriculture Victoria – condition scoring and weight estimation).

Reading hands

Heights are written as hands, then a point, then extra inches – so 15.2 hh means 15 hands and 2 inches. Because a hand has only 4 inches, the number after the point only goes from 0 to 3. There's no such height as 15.5 hh.

Converting hands to centimetres

1 inch = 2.54 cm, so 1 hand = 10.16 cm. To convert:

1. Multiply the hands by 4 and add the extra inches to get total inches.
2. Multiply by 2.54.

For example, 15.2 hh = (15 × 4) + 2 = 62 inches × 2.54 = 157.5 cm. EA's rules use the same arithmetic: a 15 hh reading on a measuring stick is 152.4 cm (EA Measuring Rules).

Hands	Inches	Centimetres
12.0 hh	48	121.9 cm
13.0 hh	52	132.1 cm
14.0 hh	56	142.2 cm
14.2 hh	58	147.3 cm
15.0 hh	60	152.4 cm
15.2 hh	62	157.5 cm
16.0 hh	64	162.6 cm
16.2 hh	66	167.6 cm
17.0 hh	68	172.7 cm

Centimetres to hands: divide by 2.54 to get inches, then divide by 4. The whole number is the hands, and the remainder is the inches after the point.

How to measure height

Official measurements for showing and competition are done by accredited measurers under strict rules. For everyday purposes, you can borrow the same principles from Equestrian Australia's rules (EA Measuring Rules):

1. Use a proper measuring stick with a horizontal arm and a spirit level, as EA's rules require.
2. Stand the horse on firm, level ground. EA measurers check the site is level and clear of debris – a concrete pad is ideal.
3. Let the horse relax. EA's rules note that relaxation can make a significant difference to height, and allow around 5 minutes for the horse to settle.
4. Square it up. Front legs parallel and vertical with the toes in line; both hind feet taking weight. The horse's poll should not be lower than the highest point of the withers.
5. Measure at the highest point of the withers. Lower the arm gently onto the withers – don't press down.
6. Check the level and read the stick. Take more than one reading if the horse moves.

Shoes add height. EA's rules allow a shoe deduction of up to 1 cm (3/8 inch) for a shod horse (EA Measuring Rules).

Practise estimating by eye too: the BHS Stage 1 syllabus expects grooms to estimate a horse's height to within 10–15 cm (4–6 inches) (BHS Stage 1 Care).

If you need an official height certificate for competition, contact your state equestrian body for a measuring day.

Weight: why it matters

Most owners never weigh their horse on a scale, but an accurate weight helps you:

• Feed the right amount – see how much to feed a horse
• Dose wormers correctly – see horse worming
• Give medications at the right dose, as your vet directs
• Spot gradual weight loss or gain early
• Check float and towing loads – see horse float safety checks

Ways to estimate weight

1. A weighbridge or livestock scale

The most accurate option, and the one the estimates below are tested against. If you can get access to a livestock scale, it's worth weighing once to get a baseline.

2. Girth and length formula

Agriculture Victoria gives this formula (Agriculture Victoria – condition scoring and weight estimation):

Weight (kg) = girth (cm) × girth (cm) × length (cm) ÷ 12,000

Research uses a very similar version with a divisor of 11,880 (Wagner and Tyler, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 2011). In that study:

• Girth was measured with the tape just behind the elbow, passing straight up over the withers and around under the chest.
• Length was measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock.

Worked example: girth 190 cm, length 160 cm. 190 × 190 × 160 = 5,776,000. Divide by 12,000 = about 481 kg.

Tips for consistent readings:

• Stand the horse square on level ground.
• Keep the tape snug but not tight, and in the same position every time.
• Get a helper for the length measurement.
• Measure at the same time of day, and record every reading.

3. Weight tape

Weight tapes are quick but less accurate. Wagner and Tyler weighed 145 adult horses on a scale and compared methods. The commercial weight tape underestimated weight by an average of 65.81 kg, while the formula using the point-of-buttock length was out by an average of 17.25 kg – the closest of the methods tested (Wagner and Tyler, 2011).

A tape is still useful for tracking changes in the same horse over time, as long as you use the same tape in the same place each time.

4. Height and condition score table

Agriculture Victoria also gives a table predicting weight from height and condition score (Agriculture Victoria – condition scoring and weight estimation). Selected values for condition score 3 (on a 0–5 scale):

Height	Predicted weight at condition score 3
12 hh	250 kg
13 hh	345 kg
14 hh	395 kg
15 hh	460 kg
16 hh	505 kg

The full table covers scores 1 to 5. It gives a rough guide only. See body condition scoring for how to score.

Use the feeding calculator

Stable Guide's feeding calculator estimates your horse's weight from tape measurements, then gives a rough daily feed and water guide. It's an estimate, so check it against body condition and adjust with your vet's advice. See also water for horses.

Keep a record

Write down height, girth, length and estimated weight, with the date, in your horse health records. Re-measure monthly, or more often if you're changing feed or managing a weight problem.

FAQ

How do you measure a horse in hands?

Stand the horse square and relaxed on level ground and measure from the ground to the highest point of the withers with a measuring stick (EA Measuring Rules). Each hand is 4 inches.

How many centimetres is a hand?

A hand is 4 inches, which is 10.16 cm. Agriculture Victoria rounds it to 10.2 cm (Agriculture Victoria).

What does 15.2 hands mean?

15 hands and 2 inches – 62 inches, or about 157.5 cm.

How accurate are horse weight tapes?

In one study of 145 horses, a commercial tape underestimated weight by an average of 65.81 kg; a girth-and-length formula was much closer (Wagner and Tyler, 2011).

How do I estimate my horse's weight without a scale?

Use the formula girth × girth × length ÷ 12,000, with measurements in centimetres (Agriculture Victoria).