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The process illustrates how the horse has evolved for 40 million year.
Overall, after a long time, the body of the horse has developed bigger, which has a hoof also grown on over the years. Meanwhile, their foot structure has witnessed several changes in the whole period.
Initially, in 40 million years ago, the horse was eohippus, whose body was so small similar to the modern-day dog’s and phalanges were 4. In the next 10 million years, they were mesohippus, witnessing a double increase in size, everything on their body was huger compared to the past and a tuff existed on their neck. Meanwhile, on their feet, there were only 3 toes, with the middle one larger than the others.
Regarding the merychippus, the name of the horse in 15 million years ago, the tuff on their neck grew more, considering as a mane, as well as their tail was thicker, in contrast to the body staying the same size. In the meantime, there were another phalanges on every toe, making the length of each longer. Nowadays, the horse’s body bulks up, the mane and the tail are both greater, while 3 phalanges are fused into a single hoof, making the foot firmer.
2026-04-12 08:42:39