Help the metric foreigner - how big is actually 17hh etc in cm?

[little_flea]

Is there an actual conversion table for hands to cm? It seems to vary depending on where I look - is 17hh a range of heights? I know 2 horses who are both said to be 17hh but one has 172cm on the BSJA reg and the other 175cm. Why is it so inexact?

I don't understand this country - and you have funny electrical plug sockets and drive on the wrong side of the road!

 

[AmyMay]

680cm??

 

[Angua2]

1 hand is 4 inches

so

17 x 4 = 68 inches

1 inch = 2.54 cm

2.54 x 68 = 172.72cms

Hows that?

 

[little_flea]

Looking at my new 17hh horse, that would make sense, Amy...

 

[Sarah1]

172cm I think? 17hh x 4 to convert into inches then x 2.54 again to convert into cm?
I'm assuming the 175cm is actually 17.2hh?

 

[little_flea]

It does, but it is just so inexact! So a horse who is 174 cm is between 17hh and 17.1 - nobody ever says that, so it is quite a big variation really.

 

[Angua2]

when you calculate back a 174 cm horse is 17.13hh

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Does this help....
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/animal-welfare/ImpExp/HorsePony/Heights