Horse Measuring Sticks

Horse Measuring Stick to Track Your Horse's Height

One surprisingly useful stable staple that often goes overlooked is the horse measuring stick. These handy little tools help you keep track of all your horses height, whether you’re monitoring the growth of foals or need measurements of your adult horses for new blankets or sheets. It’s important that you use equine-specific measuring sticks so you get the most accurate measurements possible.

How to Use a Horse Measuring Stick

Knowing how to measure the height of a horse or pony is even easier than you think with a horse measuring stick! It’s important that you use equine-specific measuring sticks so you get the most accurate measurements possible.

Steps for Measuring Your Horse with a Horse Measuring Stick:

1. First, you should stand your horse on level, hard ground such as a barn aisle, driveway, or on rubber mats. Having someone hold your horse or putting them in cross-ties is a good idea to make sure your horse stands still.


2. Some horses can be afraid of horse measuring sticks the first time they see them, so having the person holding the horse stands at the side of your horse, between their head and neck, can help block the view of the pole. Allowing your horse to see the stick and become desensitized to it can also make this an easier task when you’re alone, especially for young growing horses that you may want to measure regularly.


3. To begin, slide the top portion of the measuring stick upwards, extending the pole until you hear a click.


4. Unfold the plastic arm at the top of the measuring stick. With the stick standing straight up and down at your horse’s side, next to their withers, make sure the base of the measuring stick is sitting flat on the ground. Move the arm portion either up or down until it rests at the flat area of your horse’s withers, adjusting the angle you are holding the measuring stick or slightly raising or lowering the arm until the bubble is in the very center of the built-in level.


5. With the arm resting against your horse’s wither, and the level centered, your horse’s height measurement will be the closest black line that touches the bottom of the plastic arm.


6. The horse measuring stick can measure a horse or pony from 10 Hands to 19 Hands.


7. When finished, fold the plastic arm back in the down position and slide the top half of the stick back into the bottom portion for easy storage.

It’s important to know the exact height of your horse whether you’re going to be selling them, need to measure them for a horse show or registration papers, or have a young horse that is growing and you want to know that they are on the right track.