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A new publication with Dr Nadja Karol on criteria for withers measuring in horses

A new publication by my Doctor student Nadja Karol on the reliability of measuring a horse's withers...real questions arise and the reliability of the system is called into question, especially for pony competitions.

Abstract: Withers height measurement in equines is an important identification criterion and an integral part of the identification information in a passport for almost all horse breeds. In ponies that participate in competitions, withers height measurement is an important tool for categorising these equines, particularly in international and national competition classes in the FEI disciplines. The understanding of the measurement practice is sometimes limited and poorly accepted. In this study, we sought to understand and analyse the factors that may influence this measurement. Twenty horses of two different breeds (Swiss Warmblood and Franches-Montagnes horse) belonging to the Swiss Armed Forces and aged between 3 and 4 years were used. Height measurements at the withers were taken twice, with an interval of 14 days, and were performed by two experienced equine veterinarians. During each session, 3 measurements per veterinarian were taken on both the left and right sides using a measuring stick equipped with a level. The results obtained indicates a significant difference in measuring between the two sides (p=0.01108). It was observed that the height at the withers measured on the left is systematically lower than that measured on the right (correlation coefficient = 0.2). There were no differences in the measurements taken between the two veterinarians. The difference in measurements taken at 14-day intervals was also significant (p=0.019). The results were not influenced by angle measurements, particularly those of the hooves. The authors confirm that multiple sources of error can occur during this procedure and that an alternative solution such as measuring at the pelvis (sacral tuberosities) must be more reliable, even when using three-dimensional imaging techniques.

Dissertation Dr Nadja Karol - 2025 Dissertation Dr Nadja Karol - 2025

Download the publication in Swiss Review of Military and Disaster Medicine - 2025