The Story Of The Horse.
THE STORY OF THE HORSE begins in a pre-history, nearly 60 million years ago before the emergence of the Homo erectus. From it's small mammal beginnings, the horse, as we know it, emerged about 59 million years later. For a million years the horse herds were a source of food for the human race, their importance being recognized in vivid cave art of drawings Cro-Magnon Man, which are between 15,000 and 20,000 years old.Then 5,000 to 6,000 years ago on the Eurasian steppes, nomadic Aryan peoples, particularly groups in those areas bordering the Black and Caspian Seas, began the process of domesticating the horse, and its development soon accelerated.
The Road To Equus - Eohippus
Eohippus - Eohippus probably looked like this below. It was equipped to survive in a secondary jungle-type environment as a browsing animal.
The Road To Equus - Mesohippus
Eohippus was superseded by the larger three-toed Mesohippus in the Oligocene period, 35-40 million years ago.
The Road To Equus - Miohippus
Miohippus, a slightly more advanced form of Mesohippus in respect of feet and dentology, had evolved in upper Oligocene period 30 million years ago.
The Road To Equus - Merychippus
Merychippus, the horse of middle and upper Miocene period, was bigger then its predecessor and was in outline more recognizably a horse.
The Road To Equus - Pliohippus
Pliohippus had evolved in the lower and middle Pliocene period. This was the first single-hoofed "horse" and was the direct ancestor of Equus.