A horse or pony's height is measured in HANDS. One hand is equal to four inches or 10cm. The measurement is taken in a vertical line from the ground to the highest part of the withers. The animal must be standing squarely on level ground for an accurate measurement.

To MEASURE a horse or pony's FOOT for shoes, take the measurement across the widest part of the foot and also from the toe to the heel. Front and hind feet may be different sizes.

BONE is the name given to the measurement taken just below the knee. In a Thoroughbred it varies from 5inches (20cm) for a filly to 8 inches plus (32cm) for a stallion

WHORLS are peculiar to each animal and are used as a means of identification. There are whorls on the forehead and neck. Feathering is when the hair lies in a different direction to the normal growth of the coat. A whorl may have feathering attached.

The HEAVIEST recorded horse was a 19.2 hh pure-bred Belgian stallion named Brooklyn Supreme foaled in 1928. He was 3,200 pounds or 1.42 tons. (1.44 tonnes).

The TALLEST recorded horse was a Percheron crossed with a Shire named Firpon, foaled in 1959. He was 21.1 hh.

The SMALLEST breed of horse is Falabella. Mature Falabellas range from 15 to 30 inches (38-76 cm) and weigh 40 to 100 lbs (18 - 45 kg).

Horses and ponies can rest and even SLEEP STANDING UP because of a remarkable stay apparatus in their patella or kneecap. A hook situated on the inside and bottom end of the thigh bone, on its hind leg, cups the patella and the medial patella ligament, so preventing the leg from bending.

Did You Know?? That many lameness problems are mis-diagnosed as a leg problems when in fact they are a back or hip problem. Never rule out the possibility that you horse is off or limping because it is his back that hurts. That horses are basically color blind. They see black and white and some forms of shadowed outlines. They react to color as being light or dark. That the practice of mounting a horse from the left side began in ancient Greece. Warriors always carried their weapons on their left side, which made mounting on the right side impossible. That 1.9 million people own horses in the United states, that's more than 3 horses per person. That most Wild foals are born at night when the herd is least likely to be on the move. This is however also true of domestic foals. That most horses are right or left handed just like people. They have a good side and a bad side. Hopefully their bad side is your good side and vice versa. That a shoe slightly off can cause recurring neck, shoulder or back problems. That a horse should have his shoes set at the angle of his leg and according to the way he moves. This does not always mean they are straight in their angle.