A "hand" is a unit of measurement commonly used in the context of measuring the height of horses. In the United States and some other English-speaking countries, a hand is defined as exactly 4 inches or 10.16 centimeters.
Horses are typically measured in hands from the ground to the highest point of their withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades). This measurement is a convenient way to describe a horse's height without relying on feet and inches or meters.
For example, a horse that measures 15.2 hands is 15 hands and 2 inches tall. Horses can vary in height, and the hand system provides a standardized way to communicate a horse's size, which is particularly important in horse racing, equestrian sports, and the horse industry in general.
"Vara de tarea" is a term that can be translated from Spanish to mean "task pole" or "work pole." In some Spanish-speaking regions, particularly in Mexico and parts of Central America, "vara de tarea" is a traditional unit of length used to measure land.
The length of a "vara de tarea" can vary by region, but it is typically around 4 meters (approximately 13.1 feet) or slightly longer. It was historically used for land measurement, especially in rural and agricultural areas, to define property boundaries and land plots for farming or other tasks.
It's important to note that "vara de tarea" is a localized and regional unit of measurement and may not be widely recognized or used in other Spanish-speaking countries or regions. The use of standardized metric or imperial units is more common in modern times.