Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2006; 174(1); 69-76; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.10.023

Measuring the height of ponies at the withers: influence of time of day, water and feed withdrawal, weight-carrying, exercise and sedation.

van de Pol, C
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Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan, MM

Abstract: Measuring the height at the withers of a pony is one of the requirements of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), before competitors can participate in an official pony event. A pony has to be measured each year until it is eight years old. With and without shoes the height at the withers must be below 149.0cm and 148.0cm, respectively. When a pony exceeds the regulated height, it is excluded from participating in FEI pony competitions. Besides being excluded from competing, the selling price of the pony decreases dramatically, because the animal is then classified as a horse. For these reasons some owners may be tempted to try to influence wither height. The aim of the study was to determine whether the height of a pony at the withers can be influenced by variables such as time of day, water and feed withdrawal, weight carrying, exercise or sedation. To see if there was any influence of these variables on the measured height, the animals were measured at the beginning of the experiment and after completion, according to a standardized protocol. Fifteen healthy horses aged 7-17 years old and 16 healthy ponies aged 5-18 years were used for the study. A statistical evaluation determined whether there was a significant difference between the height at the withers before and after the experiment (P<0.05). Time of day, water and feed withdrawal, carrying weight, exercise and sedation all tended to decrease the height at the withers, but, with the exception of the data collected from the sedation-trial, the results were not significant. At the beginning of the experiment, the mean height at the withers of all eight animals was 165.0+/-4.6cm; 15min after giving a standard dose of 5microg/kg detomidine-HCl per horse IV, the mean height had decreased to 163.7+/-4.5cm. Even 2h after administration of the sedative, the mean height at the withers was still 163.7+/-4.6cm. However, at both measuring points, it was still clinically apparent that the animals were sedated. The results demonstrate that it is not possible for owners to significantly influence the height at the withers except by administrating a sedative.

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Publication Date: 2006-12-19 PubMed ID: 17182264DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.10.023Google Scholar: Lookup

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Summary

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The research tries to determine whether the height of a pony at the withers, a crucial measurement for eligibility in Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) competitions, can be influenced by factors like time of day, lack of water or food, carrying weight, exercise, or sedation.

Objective of the Research

This study seeks to understand whether variables such as the time of day, water and feed withdrawal, weight-carrying, exercise, or sedation can significantly influence a pony’s height at the withers.
The height at the withers is a crucial measurement for FEI competitions as it directly influences a pony’s eligibility to compete and its resulting market value.
There is a notion that certain external factors could affect a pony’s height hence giving it an unfair advantage or disadvantaging it in a competition.

Methodology

The researchers employed a standardized protocol to measure the height of each pony at the beginning and at the end of the experiment.
The sample included fifteen horses aged 7-17 years old and sixteen ponies aged 5-18 years.
The variables tested in the study were time of day, water and feed withdrawal, carrying weight, exercise, and sedation.

Findings

Time of day, water and feed withdrawal, carrying weight, and exercise all tended to slightly decrease the height at the withers but the results were not statistically significant, except for variances noted with the sedation trial.
In the sedation-trial, administering a measured dose of detomidine-HCl caused a noticeable drop in withers height, from an average of 165.0 +/-4.6cm to 163.7 +/-4.5cm after 15 minutes. This reduced height persisted for at least 2 hours post-administration. Therefore, sedation was the only variable that resulted in a significant decrease in the ponies’ height at the withers.
It was clinically apparent that the animals were sedated during both measuring points.

Conclusion

The results suggest that owners cannot significantly influence a pony’s height at the withers using the variables tested, except by using sedatives.
Although sedation did lead to a decrease in height, it led to visible clinical signs of sedation in the ponies, which would likely exclude them from competition.

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APA

van de Pol C, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM. (2006). Measuring the height of ponies at the withers: influence of time of day, water and feed withdrawal, weight-carrying, exercise and sedation. Vet J, 174(1), 69-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.10.023