Horse Breed Height Comparison (Hands to CM)
How tall is a Shire horse? Compare 15 horse and pony breed heights in cm, meters and feet, from Shire 173 cm down to Falabella 80 cm. Breed standards cited.
Visual comparison
All values
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| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shire horse 173 cm. Minimum for stallions. Average 176. | 173 cm (5 ft 8.1 in) | Draft, UK, Shire Horse Society | Shire Horse Society breed standard: minimum 17 hands (173 cm) stallions, average 17.2 hands (176 cm) |
| Clydesdale 173 cm. Over 17 hands mature. | 173 cm (5 ft 8.1 in) | Draft, Scotland, breed societies | Commonwealth Clydesdale Horse Society standard: over 17 hands (173 cm) |
| Belgian draft 170 cm. Range 16 to 18 hands. | 170 cm (5 ft 6.9 in) | Draft, Belgium, breed standard | Belgian Draft Horse breed standard: 16-18 hands, rowed 170 cm |
| Percheron 168 cm. Around 16.2 hands typical. | 168 cm (5 ft 6.1 in) | Draft, France, breed standard | Percheron Horse Association standard: about 16.2 hands (168 cm) |
| Hanoverian 168 cm. Range 15.3 to 17.3 hands. | 168 cm (5 ft 6.1 in) | Warmblood, Germany, verband | Hanoverian Verband standard: 15.3-17.3 hands, rowed 168 cm |
| Thoroughbred 163 cm. About 16 hands average. | 163 cm (5 ft 4.2 in) | Racehorse, Jockey Club registered | Jockey Club and breed references: Thoroughbred average 16 hands (163 cm) |
| Friesian 160 cm. Mares slightly under. | 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) | Carriage, Netherlands, KFPS | KFPS Friesian breed standard: about 160 cm |
| Lipizzaner 158 cm. Range 15 to 16.1 hands. | 158 cm (5 ft 2.2 in) | Baroque, Slovenia and Austria | Lipizzan breed associations: 15-16.1 hands, rowed 158 cm |
| American Quarter Horse 155 cm. Range 14.3 to 16 hands. | 155 cm (5 ft 1 in) | Stock horse, USA, AQHA | American Quarter Horse Association standard: 14.3-16 hands, rowed 155 cm |
| Arabian 152 cm. Usual 14.1 to 15.1 hands. | 152 cm (4 ft 11.8 in) | Desert horse, Arabian associations | Arabian Horse Association standard: usual 14.1-15.1 hands (145-155 cm), rowed 152 cm |
| Morgan 150 cm. Range 14.2 to 15.2 hands. | 150 cm (4 ft 11.1 in) | Carriage, USA, AMHA | American Morgan Horse Association standard: 14.2-15.2 hands, rowed 150 cm |
| Mustang 145 cm. Range 14 to 15 hands. | 145 cm (4 ft 9.1 in) | Feral stock, USA, BLM | Bureau of Land Management and breed references: Mustang 14-15 hands, rowed 145 cm |
| Icelandic horse 140 cm. Range 13.1 to 14.3 hands. | 140 cm (4 ft 7.1 in) | Gaited pony, Iceland, FEIF | FEIF Icelandic horse standard: 13.1-14.3 hands, rowed 140 cm |
| Shetland pony 107 cm. Maximum 42 inches. | 107 cm (3 ft 6.1 in) | Pony, Shetland Pony Society | Shetland Pony Society standard: maximum 42 in (107 cm) |
| Falabella 80 cm. Smallest row here. Range 63 to 86. | 80 cm (2 ft 7.5 in) | Miniature, Argentina, Falabella registry | Falabella breed registry: 63-86 cm, rowed 80 cm |
About this converter
Drafts top this table in hands and centimeters. Shire stallions stand 173 minimum with 176 average, Clydesdales run over 173, Belgians reach 170, Percherons and Hanoverians 168 each. Riding breeds cluster near 160: Thoroughbred 163, Friesian 160, Lipizzaner 158, Quarter Horse 155, Arabian 152 and Morgan 150. Hardy small breeds follow with Mustang 145 and Icelandic 140. Ponies close the table with Shetland 107 and Falabella 80. One Shire minimum matches over two Falabellas. One hand equals 10.16 cm and every row gives both.
How to use it
Pick two breeds and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try 1 Shire against Falabellas to see the two to one gap in cm, meters or feet.
Values are breed standard typical adult heights with minima and averages noted where registries split them. Sex and age move results, so rows pin mature typical figures and note stallion versus mare splits. Crossbreds and unregistered minis stay out because no standard applies. Show condition adds height with shoeing and stays noted.
FAQ
How tall is a Shire horse?
173 cm minimum for stallions, 163 for mares. Average mature Shires run about 176 cm. One hand equals 10.16 cm.
How tall is a Shetland pony?
107 cm maximum. Shetlands are a true pony breed, not young horses.
Is 14.2 hands the horse and pony cutoff?
Yes. 14.2 hands equals 147 cm, so a 145 cm Mustang sits just under the horse line and a 140 cm Icelandic counts as a pony by height though owners call it a horse.
Are generic miniature horses included?
No. Minis lack one shared standard across registries, so only the Falabella with registry figures is rowed.
Sources
- Shire Horse Society breed standard and points of the horse (stallion minimum 173 cm, average 176 cm)
- Commonwealth Clydesdale Horse Society breed standards (over 17 hands); KFPS Friesian standard; Hanoverian Verband standard
- American Quarter Horse Association, Jockey Club, Arabian Horse Association, Shetland Pony Society, FEIF and Falabella registry standards
Last verified: 2026-10-02 · 15 entries
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