Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-
Terminology
"Hands" may be abbreviated to "h", or "hh". The "hh" form is sometimes interpreted as standing for "hands high".[4][5][6] When spoken aloud, hands are stated by numbers, 15.0 is "fifteen hands", 15.2 is alternately "fifteen-two" or "fifteen hands, two inches", and so on.[5][6][7]
To convert inches to hands, the number in inches is divided by four, then the remainder is added after the
History
Ancient Egypt
The hand, sometimes also called a handbreadth or handsbreadth, is an
On surviving
Name | Egyptian name | Equivalent Egyptian values | Metric equivalent | Imperial equivalent | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal cubit |
|
7 palms or 28 digits | 525 mm | 20.67 in | ||||
Fist | 6 digits | 108 mm | 4.25 in | |||||
Hand | 5 digits | 94 mm | 3.70 in | |||||
Palm |
|
4 digits | 75 mm | 2.95 in | ||||
Digit |
|
1/4 palm | 19 mm | 0.75 in |
Biblical use
In Biblical
United Kingdom
The hand is a traditional unit in the UK.
Use in measuring horses
Today the hand is used to measure the height of horses,[2] ponies, and other equines. It is used in the US and also in some other nations that use the metric system, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland and the UK. In other parts of the world, including continental Europe and in FEI-regulated international competition, horses are measured in metric units, usually metres or centimetres. In South Africa, measurements may be given in both hands and centimetres,[2] while in Australia, the equestrian regulations stipulate that both measurements are to be given.[20]
In those countries where hands are the usual unit for measuring horse height, inches rather than hands are commonly used in the measurement of smaller equines including miniature horses/ponies,[21] miniature mules,[22] donkeys,[23] and Shetland ponies.[24]
A horse is measured from the ground to the top of the highest non-variable point of the skeleton, the withers.[2] For official measurement, the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebra may be identified by palpation, and marked if necessary.[25] Some varieties of Miniature horses are measured at the base of the last true hairs of the mane rather than at the withers.[21]
For international competition regulated by the
See also
References
- ^ "Equestrian Australia Measuring Rules Effective 1 July 2008" (PDF). equestrian.org.au/. Equestrian Australia Limited. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "The "Hand" Measurement for Horses". Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ontario, Canada. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ISBN 0-7136-1701-2. p.409
- ^ "How big is a hand?" AllHorseBreeds.info. Archived 2012-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Hand Conversion
- ^ a b How to Measure a Horse | Horse Height and Weight
- ^ a b Shlei. "Just how tall is a hand?". Measuring Equines. The American Donkey and Mule Society. Retrieved 19 May 2007.
- ^ Measure Horse Height Accurately
- ^ Good, J.M., O. Gregory, N. Bosworth (1813). Pantologia: A new cyclopaedia, comprehending a complete series of essays, treatises, and systems, alphabetically arranged; with a general dictionary of arts, sciences and words, the whole presenting a distinct survey of human genius, learning and industry; illustrated with engravings, those on history being from original drawings by Edwards and others. London: Kearsley.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) "Hand (2)" - ISBN 978-0-7923-4066-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-87169-232-0.
- ^ Lepsius, Richard (1865). Die altaegyptische Elle und ihre Eintheilung (in German). Berlin: Dümmler.
- ^ Ezekiel 40:43 New International Version
- ^ Ezekiel 40:43 New Century Version
- ^ 32 Hen. 8. c. 13: An Acte for Bryde of Horses.
- ^ a b Mortimer, Thomas (1810). A general dictionary of commerce, trade, and manufactures: exhibiting their present state in every part of the world; and carefully comp. from the latest and best authorities. London: R. Phillips.
- ^ Phillips, Edward, John Kersey (ed.) (1706) The new world of words: or, Universal English dictionary. Containing an account of the original or proper sense, and various significations of all hard words derived from other languages. Together with a brief and plain explication of all terms relating to any of the arts and sciences; to which is added, the interpretation of proper names The sixth edition, revised ... With the addition of near twenty thousand words London
- ^ Le Clerc, George Louis, Comte de Buffon (1831). A natural history of the globe: of man, of beasts, birds, fishes, reptiles, insects and plants Volume 5. John Wright (trans.). Boston; Philadelphia: Gray and Bowen; Thomas Desilver, Jr.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ [n.a.] (1816). Encyclopædia Perthensis; or Universal Dictionary of the Arts, Sciences, Literature, etc., intended to supersede the use of other books of reference, Volume 16.
- ^ "Equestrian Australia Measuring Rules Effective 1 July 2008" (PDF). equestrian.org.au/. Equestrian Australia Limited. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Show Rules. Standards of Excellence: Miniature & Small Horse". Australian Miniature Horse & Pony Registry. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ "About Miniature Mules". The American Miniature Mule Society. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ "The Donkey". Government of Alberta: Agriculture and Rural Development. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ISBN 0-7513-0115-9. p.176
- ^ a b "JMB measurement". The Joint Measurement Board. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2011.