Horse Evolution

Like most creatures, the horse has undergone several modifications. One of the very first ancestors of the modern horse is the Hyracotherium. (Hunt) The Hyracotherium looked more like a dog with its arched back, short neck, petite snout, stubby legs, and long tail. The Hyracotherium even had padded feet, like a dog. (Hunt) The major exception was that on each of its four toes on each front foot and three toes on hind feet, it had hoof like structures instead of claws. (Hunt) It ate fruit and other easily accessible vegetation. (Hunt) The Hyracotherium was not very agile and had a small brain. (Hunt) Next, came the Orohippus and then the Epihippus. (Hunt) In the Eocene epoch that lasted from around 56 to 33.9 million years ago, the Mesohippus celer appeared. The Mesohippus celer was not as doggish looking as its predecessors. (Hunt) Although it was still pad footed, the back was less arched and the legs and neck were a bit longer. Additionally, and the snout and face were also distinctively longer. (Hunt) Mesohippus had three toes on both its hind feet and front feet and the 4th front toe was reduced to a vestigial structure. (Hunt) The brain of the Mesohippus was also improved being similar to that of the present day horse. (Hunt) Its teeth were even more suitable for grinding up tougher vegetation with six grinding teeth in the back of the mouth and one premolar in the front. (Hunt) Skipping forward a bit to the tallest equine (a horse or member of the horse family), the Merychippus, which was about three and a half feet tall. (Hunt) With a bigger brain, the Merychippus was more agile and smarter than its ancestors. Merychippus' legs adapted to specialize in swift running over tough ground. (Hunt) The ability to rotate their legs was eliminated and they stood permanently on tiptoe. (Hunt) Variation within the toe sizes of the Merychippus led to the hooves in horses today. (Hunt) The Merychippus' facial structure was also more horse like. The muzzle was