When did we stop using hands as a measure

I can only do 148cms the rest I've no clue as to what the height is unless its in hands!

I was educated in the late 80s and 90s so all metric, but in this situation, has to be hands.
 
123cm = old school 12hh
128cm= 12.2
133= 13hh
138= 13.2
143= 14hh
148= 14.2
153= 15hh
155= 15.1
158= 15.2
160= 16hh

give or take a few cm these are the rough conversions to what the classes now mean!
 
I know! I'm only 16 but prefer feet/inches and hands, was reading a breed book the other day and some were in hands and some cm (I know some are officially measured in cm and not hh but some of these shouldn't be!) I'm ok with a few cm, but once above a metre I want in feet! I just can't visualise stuff in meters and cm! 148cm Is just over 4'10" (google!) So would be 14.2hh (I think-not the time for maths!)
 
I only ever used cms for the shows, the horse was meant to be no more than 153cm for cob shows, I think. Otherwise, it's hands all the way. I'd want to see an advert in hh, not that I'd trust it, I'd want to measure the horse myself.
 
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cinnamontoast said:
I only ever used cms for the shows, the horse was meant to be no more than 153cm for cob shows, I think. Otherwise, it's hands all the way. I'd want to see an advert in hh, not that I'd trust it, I'd want to measure the horse myself.
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155cms for show cobs. 15.1hh
 
Can I just point out for those who seem a bit confused, the metric system is cm's.
Hands and inches and feet is the imperial system
 
Another confused oldie here! Im not shopping for a horse so hands vs cms doesn't worry me but I stare blankly at kids on the yard who tell me how then went clear in the 90. What does that even mean??
 
147 is 14.2hh spot on and 148cms is 14.2 and 1/2 inch :p get a measuring tape with hands and cms both on, really cheap from a tack shop and solves much confusion! having said that, i still only know 147 and 148..
 
Brummyrat said:
Another confused oldie here! Im not shopping for a horse so hands vs cms doesn't worry me but I stare blankly at kids on the yard who tell me how then went clear in the 90. What does that even mean??
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10cm is 4" so for jump height it works like this
(70 is worked out 7 x 4 =28" = 2'4" ) 80 =32" =2'8" 90=36" =3'0" 100=40" =3'4" 110=44" =3'8" 120=48" =4'0" etc if you get 85 as a height add 2" to the 80 height ( =34" 2'10" ) ditto 95 105 etc.
 
I had a 20 year gap away from horses.

In my youth they were in hands and now it's ruddy centimetres. I look at show schedules and my mind goes blank, I just can't do horses in centimetres!
 
I use metres/cms for everything - except horses. Then it has to be in hands. "15.2" carries more subconscious associated information (horse, not pony; likely weight; likely rider size etc) than just how tall the horse is so someone giving me the height in cm is just not enough and takes a little extra thought. I could get used to it and start converting that information into cm but I don't have the inclination to try. I know I'm 16hh and I give my height just as readily in cm or inches... So it's not a conversion issue. It's just that subconscious extra info.
 
I still work in hands for horse size, I can't really relate to cms when it comes to horse sizes. I'm ok with metric when it comes to show jumping though. The classes are always metric so there is nothing to gain by converting cms to feet & inches.

I think that sometimes tradition should be kept so horses should be measured in hands & horses should be bid for in auction in guineas. :)
 
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