Measuring stick-underestimating size!

[GeorgeyGal]

Wow I swore my filly was 14.2 after measuring her with tape and having ridden 14.2s for the past few decades was positive she was that size as well (she sure seems bigger than my friends 13.2)!. Shocked that she is 1hh smaller, hey ho not bothered what she makes as I'm quite short just realised a lot of horses are probably overestimated, mainly ones I've ridden.

Anyone else found this when they've measured with a stick that they've underestimated?

 

[maree t]

I am rubbish at getting it right. We did have one of ours checked before a competition. He was 13hh when we bought him just turned three and the stick said he was now 12.2hh ?..
He is over 13hh but not much I would think
Keep meaning to buy one just for my own curiosity

 

[Foxhunter49]

Yes - majority of people measuring will make a horse bigger than it really is.
Even with a stick a horse can be made a lot bigger if it is not relaxed.

I will never forget measuring a horse at a dealers and making it 15.3. I was not interested in the horse at all but later rode it for the dealer for some other clients. They were insistent that they wanted something 16.1 +
By going into the stable and making the horse alert, that same animal measured in at 16.1

I loved that dealer. If you asked him how big a horse was he would say "How big do you want it?"

 

[CobsGalore]

I went to look at a 14.2 once and it was 13.2 MAX - I wasn't very happy after driving for over an hour...

 

[Qru]

When I bought my boy he was advertised as 14.2 - measured him after 7 months and he came up as 15.1 so in my case it was underestimating

 

[Spiritedly]

I have measured mine with a measuring tape and with a metal builders tape which both made them the same height, I then measured them with a measuring stick and it made them both a hand smaller. I think it's a case that the measuring stick is a cheap one and not accurate rather than the other methods being inaccurate as it makes one of the ponies 12hh and my friend has a 12hh pony who was measured properly for showing and our boy is definitely bigger than her girl!

 

[xloopylozzax]

Ive gone to ride 14.2 ponies to find 13hh on tippy toes peering over the door. It is an absolute waste of time for both partys.

Goes the other way too, no one wants 15hh so they are all 16.1hh. Then by the time you get to 16.3hh people claim they have 18hh giants.

size matters

 

[Qru]

:O xloopylozzax I love 15hh! But then again I've always been weird

 

[GeorgeyGal]

Interesting how varied it can be! Well I still maintain she is 'bigger' than the stick said that day as I can tell from general handling she is bigger than 13.2, she is very high bummed with a high head carriage though and longbacked so she can make herself grow a few hands!

 

[GeorgeyGal]

I've always ridden 14.2 Arabs but then im only 5ft 4, I love pocket rockets! I quickly got used to a 15.2 though, good height for me.

 

[mandwhy]

I would like to measure my horse, I do not have a measuring stick, hmm I guess just a normal stick and a flat surface? She was measured at 14.2 1/4 at her passport inspection as a 3 1/2 yo, now nearly 6 and I bought her as '15hh-ish' so I hope she has made the 15!

 

[Lolo]

Reg is registered BE as 16.2hh... He is considerably bigger than Bee, who has now been properly measured in at 16hh. He's pushing it for over 17hh now, but no one is going to admit that!!

 

[Ealana]

My horse measures in at 16.3hh when measured with a stick and a normal tape. However he towers above other '16.3's that I'd say were 16hh max ! I think most people over estimated their horses and try to big them up !

 

[Cortez]

You need a proper flat, level surface, a proper stick with a spirit level incorporated and an experienced person to do the reading. And you need to remember that horses can vary by as much as an inch + according to their stance/relaxation/tension, time of day, level of fitness/fatness/thiness and head/neck position. And other than for height classes (and there's a whole 'nother can 'o worms), does it really matter?

 

[pinklilly]

I sold a little tb, he was most definitely 15.2 and recently seen him advertised at 16.1, surely more likely to attract the right buyers if height is accurate?!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I'm pretty good at eye judging, but do agree that people make them bigger, although for showing I have met some mahoooosive '14.2hh' hunter ponies who were wither level with my vet measured 15.2hh

 

[Adopter]

OH made me a stick to measure our youngsters yesterday, and incoporated a spirit level in the arm that goes from pony to upright, we have made marks on the upright stick so we can watch their progress over the next couple of years. I was really surprised they have grown a full hand from 12.1 to 13.1 since they came to us last July, however they had a bad start as abandoned foals so had a lot of catching up to do.

Really hoping for their sakes they do grow another 4inches as with t heir lovely natures they will make lovely family all round ponies.

 

[Suzie G]

I've just got my daughters new pony JMB height measured at the vets, when stood beside her other 138 cm pony he is tiny but I was shocked when the vet started measuring and the stick said 148cm
After a few minutes he had relaxed and got him measured in at 137.2cm but still seems silly that he's so much smaller than the other one!

I wonder how long the people who got our other pony measured had to wait to get him relaxed enough to measure in?

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I've just got my daughters new pony JMB height measured at the vets, when stood beside her other 138 cm pony he is tiny but I was shocked when the vet started measuring and the stick said 148cm
After a few minutes he had relaxed and got him measured in at 137.2cm but still seems silly that he's so much smaller than the other one!

I wonder how long the people who got our other pony measured had to wait to get him relaxed enough to measure in?

I know what you mean, but if a horse is stood on flat ground and stood square, it's withers can't physically get higher just because the horse is tense? Or do you mean a horse jiggin around and not standing square? x

 

[Tnavas]

How do you get horses officially measured in the UK now - I remember the vet coming out to measure the show ponies and horses - he just used a measuring stick.

Here in NZ we have measuring days where the horse is led into a special crush and measured using a fixed measuring device.

If you want the horse to measure under then work the pants off it, trim its feet, shoe with old shoes and keep fingers crossed. If you want it larger, then get it hyped up so it stands taller.

Interesting how many big 14.2hh there are.

 

[Cortez]

I know what you mean, but if a horse is stood on flat ground and stood square, it's withers can't physically get higher just because the horse is tense? Or do you mean a horse jiggin around and not standing square? x

Actually, since the horse's shoulders are not attached to it's rib cage or spine by any joint (they are attached by a sort of "sling" of ligaments and muscle) it is entirely possible for the horse to "grow" and shrink as described many times above.

 

[POLLDARK]

Actually, since the horse's shoulders are not attached to it's rib cage or spine by any joint (they are attached by a sort of "sling" of ligaments and muscle) it is entirely possible for the horse to "grow" and shrink as described many times above.

Agree with this
Also when I bought my latest as a 4 year old I wanted him to make 15.2hh. (I am 5ft tall , or short) So when he got to 15.2hh I never measured him again, anyone asks I say he was 15.2 when last measured (not saying when) which is exactly what I wanted. !