Convert hand to vara castellana Online | Free Length Converter

Hand

A hand is a traditional unit of length primarily used to measure the height of horses. It is equal to 4 inches or 10.16 centimeters.

The origin of the hand as a measurement comes from using the width of a human hand, and it has been standardized at 4 inches for consistency in horse measurement. Horse height is expressed in "hands," measured from the ground to the highest point of the withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades).

Key points:

• 
  

  1 hand = 4 inches

  
  
• 
  

  1 hand = 10.16 centimeters

  
  
• 
  

  Used mainly for measuring horse height

  
  
• 
  

  Horse height is often given in hands and inches, e.g., 15.2 hands means 15 hands plus 2 inches

  
  

The hand remains the standard unit for horse height in many English-speaking countries.

Vara Castellana

The vara castellana is a traditional Spanish unit of length that was widely used in Spain and its former colonies. It is roughly equivalent to 0.8359 meters (about 32.9 inches).

The vara castellana was commonly used in land measurement, construction, and textiles. Its length could vary slightly by region and time, but the standardized vara castellana became an important reference for legal and commercial measurements.

Key points:

• 
  

  1 vara castellana ≈ 0.8359 meters (32.9 inches)

  
  
• 
  

  Used extensively in Spain and Spanish America

  
  
• 
  

  Common in land surveying, building, and textile measurement

  
  
• 
  

  Predecessor to modern metric units in Spanish-speaking countries

  
  

Though largely replaced by the metric system, the vara castellana remains relevant in historical documents and land records.