Where do you measure exactly, for pony's height?

[SpruceRI]

My Welsh D looks loads bigger now than she did in the Spring, and yet every time I measure her, she seems to come out smaller than the last time

I know it's at the wither

But where exactly? Directly behind the front leg? Where the mane peters out?

Being a cob she hasn't got a natural distinction between neck ending and wither starting.

Can anyone explain? Or draw me a picture?

Thanks

 

[Zebedee]

Get her to put her head down so that the end of her neck is below her withers. Then feel across the wither for the highest vertebrae. Thats where you put the stick & she should keep her head down during measurement.

 

[Chico Mio]

Where the red line is. As Zebedee suggests, it's easier if you can get horse to put its head down. These things can be deceptive though, my OH's anglo arab horse has a wither like a shark fin, which must add at least half a hand to his height. So although he is about 16.2hh correctly measured this way, he doesn't look that big and you wouldn't say he was 16.2hh.

http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/horsehandsconverter.html

 

[pixiebee]

same, my tb is 16hh- though looks more like a 15.3 because of the lack of topline on him- you wouldnt say he looks 16hh-deceptive! Hopfully with some good food and exercise I can get his back up there somewhere with his withers.lol!