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Hand

By Katherine Blocksdorf, About.com

Definition: A four inch measurement used to calculate the height of horse or pony at the top of the shoulder (withers). A hand is the approximate width of a man’s hand.
Pronunciation: h and (rhymes with band)
Alternate Spellings: often abbreviated to HH
Examples:
The little pony was only 11 hands high, whereas the huge draft horse was 17 hands high.

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