A Horse of Course! Approaching Level_01

What kind of horse is this? Is it even a horse at all?


This strange-looking creature is an ancestor of the horses we know today. It is called the Eohippus (ee-oh-hippus). This small mammal lived more than 50 million years ago. It was no bigger than a medium-sized dog. Eohippus lived in ancient forests and jungles. As early animals evolved, or changed over time, they inherited features or traits. These traits would help them survive in the wild.

The early horse had a foot with five toes. Horses today have one single rounded hoof. These five toes helped them to run along the marshy ground. Early horses could easily hide in the jungle bushes and ferns. This was due to their small size. There were many predators at the time who would love to eat an Eohippus for dinner! These small mammals were prey. Most mammals at their time were prey.


Just like the horses of today, the eohippus was an herbivore. Herbivores only eat plants. Their teeth were wide and flat. This shape helped with tearing and chewing up plants. Herbivore teeth are different from those of carnivores or meat eaters. Animals that eat meat must have very sharp pointed teeth. This shape helps them to bite and hold prey.