55 million years ago there was a small creature called Hyracotherium, it is said that it was the size of a terrier and over time it evolved into a horse.
Many today disagree as to the accuracy of the depicted evolution of the horse. This due to the lack of time frames and the scarcity of fossils in those periods, those same people claim that the transfer of 3 fingers to a toe is degeneration and not evolution.
Your opinions may change, but the fact is we have horses and they came from somewhere. So we went to find out how the modern horse or pony came to be.
About 5 million years ago (okay, give or take a few hundred thousand years. What’s a hundred thousand years in evolutionary terms?) the Equus species evolved from a relative known as Dinohippus.
Equus were about the size of a donkey with a donkey head with medium length ears, had stripes like a zebra, short straight shoulders, and short stiff manes and tails (well, you get the idea). Although several strains existed, many became extinct.
The Equus was eventually left with twelve different species, which made up four distinctive groups. These groups diverged throughout the world with the exception of Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand (fossil records were never found)
The group of Equus that interests us is the Equus Caballus, or modern horse. This group consisted of four subtypes of horses that are considered the ancestors of all the breeds found today.
These four types of horses, all of which were types of ponies, are:
The Forest Horse: A solid, heavily built type of pony with a large, heavy head. They were found mainly in northern Europe. These ponies were around 14.2hh and were very resistant to the coldest and wettest climates. These ponies were lighter in color, often dun or yellow with dorsal stripes. The Tarpin was the last true forest horse, last being recorded alive in 1919. Since then, there has been an ongoing drive to preserve and restore the characteristics of the Tarpin to a recognized breed. Ponies are selectively bred for their features and leg stripes.
Current breeds that are direct descendants or representatives of the type include the Halflinger. Norwegian Fjord, Noriker, Finnish, Hucul, Konik, Sorraia and Highland ponies. The Palomino, Appaloosa, and Pinto color genes derive from this group.
The Platue Horse: These were small ponies standing between 12-12.2h. They originated in Siberia, North Asia and Europe. And they were less common than the Estepa group. They were hardy ponies that could withstand the low temperatures of Europe and the frozen lands. The Przewalski belongs to this group. Similar in size and build to the Icelandic, Exmoor and Dartmoor ponies of today. They were solid in color. Dale, New Forest Ponies, Latvian, Dulmen, Spiti and Bali are good examples of breeds that resemble or are descended from these ponies.
The Tundra: Although it had little participation in current breeds, the Tundra was a hardy horse capable of surviving in harsh or cold climates. Lighter in build than the previous two, this third type of horse was a taller, lankier horse, measuring around 14.3 HH, was lighter and faster than the previous two with a long neck and ears, tended to have a broad side. slab with a goose rump. and course features. His closest race representative or descendant is Jaf, Tchenarani, Darashomi and Iomud.
The Steppe Horse: An overall finer pony with a lighter build, it was around 12hh and was found in Asia and North Africa. It was the most refined type in the furnace. A hardy horse capable of withstanding the demands of the desert, with refinement of bones and features, fine hair on the body with a long silky mane and tail, they were renowned for their beauty even back then. You guessed that they were the ancestors of the Arabs.
Horses other than the Arabian that descend from the steppe are the Turkmen, the Karabair and the Caspian.
The Forest Horse: is the ancestor of all cold-blooded horses.
Crossing the Steppe and Plattue resulted in the “warm-blooded” horses and ponies. Some examples are Welsh ponies, Thoroughbreds, Lippizanners, and Doles.
The steppe is the ancestor of the eastern races. (The Arab)
Selective breeding in the wild (survival of the fittest) of these four groups with some subsequent human intervention, along with specialized foods, has resulted in the three main types we see today.
Today, regardless of breed, horses are again divided into three main types, with a fourth slowly emerging. These are:
the pony
Regardless of your race or upbringing. A pony used to be considered a horse that was 14.2hh or less. Today the registration of ponies in competition is accepted as a horse of less than 15hh in height.
the light horse
The Arabian, regardless of size, falls into this category as do Thoroughbreds and most other Warmblood and Warmblood horses.
the draft horse
These are the cold-blooded horses that are larger, slower, and very powerful.
And lately The Warmblood
This is the result of crossing warm and cold blooded horses. Warmblood breeding programs are highly controlled, especially German programs, where attention is paid to temperament, conformation, and performance. No lesser stallion would stay intact long enough to mat a mare and breed, which is why German Warmbloods are considered the best sporting horses today.
And there, in a nutshell, you have the evolution of your horse, so what category does he or she derive from?