Anyone else's yard have a 'special' measuring stick??

We went a few years ago to pick up a new livery, and we were told it was a 14'3 Haffy, when the animal walked out the stable I thought could not be the one as it only looked about 13'2 to me. Well long story short it was and whenever we rode out me on my 15'3 towering above her the owner would say you look so much bigger up there you wouldn't think a hand would make so much difference ! I could never say anything to her in my eyes you could see the animal was only 13'2, and we did measure him and he was lol,
 
Many years ago I went to look at a 15 hand 5 years old to get to the yard & be meet a 13.2 at most coblet - they had measured from the ground to the withers with a tape! I said sorry but then another livery appeared who had a 2yo for sale which ticked my boxes.

Another time I went miles to view a 15hh Quarter horse. I could put my chin on his withers and I am about 16.1 in boots.
 
This is hilarious.

Of all the horses I've had over the years, none of them have measured to the size they were sold at. My 14hh cob was 14.3. My 15.2 was 14.3. My 14.2 was 13.3. My 15.1 was 15.3 and my 15.2 is now solid 16.1. The last one has grown. He has an excuse.

The best I ever viewed was advertised at 15.1 - I'm 5'6 and I'm not kidding when I say I couldn't see over his back, let alone his withers. He was lovely, but boy was he hooge!! It makes you wonder as to some peoples perspectives, really.
 
Measuring a horse by eye is a waste of time. The build of the horse can affect the way the horse is viewed so if the horse is stocky he will appear taller than he actually is. I have a measuring stick & rarely have I found a horse to be the height the owner believes it to be. In any case, unless you are entering competitions where the height of the horse depends if the horse is eligible, does it really matter what height your horse is? :)
 
Did you know that the new method of killing horses is to put a measuring stick near them? Or at least that's what my mare thought when I introduced it last night. Total overreaction!
 
We have a stick with a spirit level but still get surprised when new ones come! Our show coloured is a proper cob and I was sure he'd gone over 148cm, shoes off and on a pad for his final LHC and he's only 146.5!
 
9tails said:
Did you know that the new method of killing horses is to put a measuring stick near them? Or at least that's what my mare thought when I introduced it last night. Total overreaction!
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Mine was like that. I never did manage to get a stick on her withers in the 17 years I had her.
 
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