2006-06-20 00:17:42 · 16 answers · asked by mistymiss 6 in Sports ➔ Horse Racing
have you tried walking up the side of a horse?
2006-06-20 00:20:43 · answer #1 · answered by HarryBore 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
What others have said about the width of a human hand being equivalent to 4 inches etc is correct. The reason why this was used and not some sort of measure was because in order to use a measure, one first had to possess such a measure ( awkward and expensive), so it was quicker, cheaper and more convenient to use your hands when measuring a horse you were thinking of buying (it also gave an opportunity to sureptitiously check his legs etc were OK!). Another reason is that many years ago not everyone could read, but most could count, so whilst a measure would not have been any use to someone who could not read, they could easily count with their hands as they measured. Also, it's not always easy to get a horse to stand to be measured - that big stick coming towards them can freak some of them out, but most are used to being touched by hands and will quite happily stand whilst being measured in this way.
2006-06-20 01:19:59 · answer #2 · answered by fallen angel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because noone carried measuring devices but almost everyone has a hand; and they are all about the same size across the palm. A hand is four inches, so a horse at 18 hands would stand 72 inches or 6 feet.
2006-06-20 00:25:12 · answer #3 · answered by Grace 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because, it is an easy way to measure a horse's height
Start at the bottom, put one hand on top of the next, withdraw the first hand, put it on top of the second etc. etc
Traditionally, a horse's height is calculated in hands, one hand being equal to four inches. The measurment is taken from the ground level to the highest point on the horse's withers
2006-06-20 00:30:31 · answer #4 · answered by Jeff J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A hand is four inches. The story behind this unit of measurement is that a kind went to measure his favorite horse. Not having a device to measuer with, he used the only thing he knew would be consistent: the palm of his hand. Since then, the hand has been the unit of measure for equines.
2006-06-20 05:20:42 · answer #5 · answered by * Hello Kitty * 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because people wanted to know how tall a horse was before England came up with feet. a hand is 4 in. high so a 15 hand horse is 60 in or 5 ft!!!!!!!!
2006-06-20 05:53:52 · answer #6 · answered by ~~#1 cowgirl~~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A hand is 1/3 of 12 inches which is 4 inches, we'll assume the hand is a perfect length (infinite number of significant figures). If it wasn't, the question should have mentioned that. 19.6 hands would be 4 times 19.6 = 78.4 inches, 6.53 feet, or approximately 6 feet 6 and 13/32 inches I can't really understand the second one. What does 6
2016-05-20 04:26:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it was because they used to actually measure with a hand. Since 4 inches is about the size of an average hand, that's how a hand = 4 inches.
2006-06-20 08:52:22 · answer #8 · answered by joey_blue_eyez 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ever tried getting your feet up to the top of a horses head? thought not!
2006-06-20 00:32:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
just cos it confuses the ploop out of the horse.. they don't have hands so they have no idea how tall they are. now am thinking do horses measure humans in hoofs?
2006-06-20 00:37:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because most people can't reach their feet that high to measure.
2006-06-20 00:21:43 · answer #11 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋