Pat Naughtin wrote: >But accuracy is essential. It makes all the difference between whether a >horse can compete against other horses or whether it is (measured and) >defined as a pony, in which case it can compete against other ponies. The >actual difference between one class and another ultimately will be >less than a few millimetres, and it doesn't matter whether the horse is growing or >not. The horse is re-measured (and therefore) re-defined for each meeting.
It all depends on the context. Your last sentence, above, provides the context in which accuracy is essential. However, in an informal discussion about horses (e.g., between two people looking at horses in a pasture), the 1 hand = 4 inch = 10 cm approximation is more than good enough. After all, most of us don't buy, sell, breed or ride horses in competition. Would you (or John) insist on such accuracy if you were simply renting a horse from the local stables for a little trail riding? Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
