# Centimeters to Hands (cm to hh)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/centimeters-to-hands/

**1 cm = 0.098425196850394 hh**

One centimeter equals approximately 0.09843 hands. Since 1 hand = 10.16 cm, divide 1 by 10.16. This conversion is essential when European veterinarians and horse buyers need to express metric height measurements in the traditional equestrian hand unit used in English-speaking countries.

## Formula

Convert Centimeters to Hands

## Conversion Table

| Centimeters (cm) | Hands (hh) |
|---|---|
| 1 cm | 0.098425196850394 hh |
| 2 cm | 0.19685039370079 hh |
| 5 cm | 0.49212598425197 hh |
| 10 cm | 0.98425196850394 hh |
| 10.16 cm | 1 hh |
| 15 cm | 1.4763779527559 hh |
| 20 cm | 1.9685039370079 hh |
| 25 cm | 2.4606299212598 hh |
| 30 cm | 2.9527559055118 hh |
| 50 cm | 4.9212598425197 hh |
| 100 cm | 9.8425196850394 hh |
| 150 cm | 14.763779527559 hh |
| 200 cm | 19.685039370079 hh |
| 500 cm | 49.212598425197 hh |
| 1000 cm | 98.425196850394 hh |

## Units

### Centimeter (cm)

A metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter. Commonly used for body height, clothing sizes, and everyday measurements.

### Hand (hh)

Exactly 4 inches (10.16 cm). The standard unit for measuring the height of horses, measured from the ground to the withers.

## Background

A 163 cm horse is about 16.04 hands (16 hands). The pony boundary at 148 cm is 14.57 hands (about 14.2 hands in equestrian notation). German stables record height in centimeters; British stables record in hands. International horse sales require constant conversion between the two.

## Good to Know

Germany measures horses in cm, Britain in hands. When a German buyer looks at a British horse advertised as '16.2 hh' (hands high), they convert: 16 x 10.16 + 2 x 2.54 = 167.64 cm. This calculation happens thousands of times daily in international equestrian trade.

## FAQ

### How many hands is 1 centimeter?

One centimeter equals approximately 0.09843 hands. Since 1 hand = 10.16 cm, the centimeter is about 1/10 of a hand.

### How do I convert horse height from cm to hands?

Divide centimeters by 10.16 to get decimal hands. Then convert the decimal to hand notation: the whole number is hands, multiply the decimal by 4 to get inches. For 163 cm: 163/10.16 = 16.04, so about 16.0 hands.

### What is the pony/horse boundary in centimeters?

The FEI defines ponies as equines under 148 cm (14.2 hands) without shoes. With shoes, the limit is 149 cm. This metric cutoff is cleaner than the hand notation equivalent.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### Is a centimeter about one finger width?

Yes, roughly. An adult fingertip is about 1.5-2 cm wide. A hand (the equestrian unit) is about 10 cm. So a hand is about 7 fingertips wide. The hand unit was originally your actual palm width, which is coincidentally about 10 centimeters. Human bodies are surprisingly metric.

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## See Also

- [Hands to Centimeters](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/hands-to-centimeters/)