Credit: Cappy Jackson

To measure your horse with an equine height/weight tape, stand him up squarely on a level surface. Using pressure from one foot, secure the start-end of the tape to the ground, adjacent to the horse’s left front heel and directly below the highest point of his withers. Pull the tape straight up and taut. Sight past the tape to the top of the withers; the corresponding number is your horse’s height in hands and inches. 

Bonus tip: For the most accurate reading, set a carpenter’s level atop the withers, allowing it to bisect the tape and pinpoint exact height.