Why Are Horses Measured in Hands? A 5,000-Year Tradition
📘 Quick Answer Horses are measured in hands (4 inches each) because this ancient body-based system proved practical for livestock trading across millennia. King Henry VIII standardized it in 1540, and it remains the global equestrian language in English-speaking countries. ✓ 1 hand = 4 inches (10.16 cm) ✓ Measured to the withers, not the …