# Measuring canon bone to estimate height - who's done it?



## Spyda (22 April 2009)

I ask, as I _still_ cannot fathom the method and would love someone to clarify it for me. 

I am using the mid-knee to coronet meaurement. Do you place the tape at the front of the knee or on the side?  

And as you run down, do you press the tape _tightly_ against the bone, following the contours down to the coronet? Or, just pull the tape tight from the mid-knee to the coronet (which shortens the final measurement)?

Questions, questions as I measured my rising 2 year old filly this morning and got 18 inches  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I just want to make sure I measured her right! I measured mid-knee (where the little dent is) straight down the front of her canon (keeping the tape against her bone) to the top of the coronet. Keep thinking maybe I should have just held the top of the tape on her knee and pulled the tape tight to her hoof. Can someone clarify the exact method PLEASE!!!!


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## TheFarrier (22 April 2009)

As far as i am aware the measurement is from the knee to the bottom of the fetlock joint 
	
	
		
		
	


	





And just pull the tape straight and do it at the back of the leg! (down the spilt bones not the cannon bone)

Am willing to be corrected but i believe this is where and how you do it


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## TheFarrier (22 April 2009)

The measurement detailed above should be done in cm, and that gives and indication of the height of the horse

another method is from the fetlock up to the elbow, then measure the same distance up towards the withers and add two inches (so basically twice by the measurement of the fetlock to the elbow) plus two inches, this measurement is done in inches and should give you the total hands of the horse.


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## tickety_boo (22 April 2009)

Place the end of the tape in the knee dent at the front of the leg, don't pull it straight, but follow the ontours of the front of the leg until you reach the coronet band.


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## Spyda (22 April 2009)

See what I mean LOL.

All different suggestions!  I am no further sure what to do


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## Cahill (22 April 2009)

[ QUOTE ]

Place the end of the tape in the knee dent at the front of the leg, don't pull it straight, but follow the ontours of the front of the leg until you reach the coronet band. 

[/ QUOTE ]

yes to this- and then you will have inches.so if it measures 14 inches the the pony will be 14hh.

talking the the vet the other day and she goes by the piece of string from ergot,pulled up to point of elbow,then hold this lenght if string from point of elbow upwards and that is where the withers will end up.


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## Steeleydan (22 April 2009)

No you are doing it wrong an old cowboy in Canada told me how to do it and its true, hope I can explain it clearly he goes.
Get a tape measure, measure from the Ergot up the back of front leg, to the point of their elbow, then leaving tape on the elbow get the bottom bit of the tape(at ergot) and lift it up to the whithers so now you have bottom of tape still on elbow and top of tape up near whithers this will tell you how tall they will be. Try it on a fully grown adult horse and the length from ergot to elbow is there full adult height. When the old cowboy told me I thought what a load of rubbish, but I tried it on a few adult horses and it worked out exactly. Hope you can understand me, if I was computer literate I would take some pics of me doing it to explain but I dont know how to download photos.


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## Spyda (22 April 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
No you are doing it wrong an old cowboy in Canada told me how to do it and its true, hope I can explain it clearly he goes.
Get a tape measure, measure from the Ergot up the back of front leg, to the point of their elbow, then leaving tape on the elbow get the bottom bit of the tape(at ergot) and lift it up to the whithers so now you have bottom of tape still on elbow and top of tape up near whithers this will tell you how tall they will be. Try it on a fully grown adult horse and the length from ergot to elbow is there full adult height. When the old cowboy told me I thought what a load of rubbish, but I tried it on a few adult horses and it worked out exactly. Hope you can understand me, if I was computer literate I would take some pics of me doing it to explain but I dont know how to download photos. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I know about that method but want info about the one posted!  Thanks though. I get 16.3 hands the way you describe and 18 hands the other way!!!


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## Spyda (22 April 2009)

[ QUOTE ]

Place the end of the tape in the knee dent at the front of the leg, don't pull it straight, but follow the ontours of the front of the leg until you reach the coronet band. 

Yes to this- and then you will have inches.so if it measures 14 inches the the pony will be 14hh.

[/ QUOTE ]

No matter how carefully I measure, if I keep the tape close to her leg doing this I get 18 inches. So 18 hands, then???  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  She's big, sure! But to make 18 hands
??!! Hmmmm, doubtful. That's why I was wondering if maybe I should be keeping the tape taught to knock off a couple of inches, LOL.

[ QUOTE ]
Talking the the vet the other day and she goes by the piece of string from ergot,pulled up to point of elbow,then hold this lenght if string from point of elbow upwards and that is where the withers will end up. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that waym I make her finishing at 67 inches tall; which makes 16.3 hands, doesn't it? All very confusing.

She's 23 months old ATM and is 15.3 on her wither and a smidge under 16.0 on her rump. Dam was 15.1 and sire 16.2. Dam's sire was 16.3.


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