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Horse Evolution-by Avery

Horses are thought to have evolved in North America from dog sized herbivores.  Slow adaptation to open, grassland habitats brought changes in the structure of the limbs by the gradual reduction of toes touching the ground.

 

This enabled animals to run faster and successfully escape predators.  At the same time, the changing diet and feeding pattern transformed the size and structure of the dentition (teeth) and individual teeth.

 

Horses later spread into Asia where they have survived until today.  Prezwalski was the last wild horse until a Russian explorer rediscovered them in the 19th century.  They lived in very small numbers on the steppes of western Mongolia.