"HORSING AROUND" WITH EVOLUTION
(an example of evolution in the American horse.)

Rather than waste our time debating creationists on the topic of evolution, we'd prefer to give hard scientific evidence from the fossil record.  This page is not meant for creationists.  We're convinced that they refuse to let facts alter their beliefs.  Rather, this page has a simple goal of educating those willing to learn about evolution.  It's an amazing process that results in biological changes to a species which help it survive in a changing environment.  It's a very slow process with notable changes often occurring over millions of years. (Much longer than creationists believe the earth has even existed.)

There is only one good, knowledge, and only one evil, ignorance."
— Socrates

The example of evolution that follows is of the American horse.  It's a great example because it's observable over a geologically-short time span of only 50 million years.  The American horse provides a great record of the beauty of evolution.  As you will see below, early species had 5 toes, then 3 toes, then finally 1 toe (or hoof).  It also grew in size from a mere 14 inches (looking like a tiny version of a deer) and weighing only 12 lbs; to today's "light horses" measuring more than 60 inches tall at the shoulders.

The ancestors of the modern horse were small forest-dwelling browsers. They evolved over time to their changing environment from forest dwellers to  grazing on wide open plains.  Their size increased; legs and feet grew in length; and they lost their "outer" toes - which improved their ability run at high speed and escape their plains predators.  Their incisors widened to help eat the grasses of the plains.  The height of the crowns of the cheek teeth increased to compensate for wear that resulted from chewing grasses.  Their brains grew in size and their intelligence increased.  Many other changes occurred to the American horse as a result of evolution - this is just a primer.  (Note: In this article, you will see ages referred to as "mya", which means "million of years ago".)

The Horses

Hyracotherium (Eohippus) (50 mya) Note tiny teeth suitable to a forest-dweller.	Epihippus (40 mya) Note that teeth are somewhat larger.	Mesohippus 30 mya) First 3-Toed Horse. Note teeth increasing in size.
Merychippus (15 mya) Another 3-toed horse; with much larger teeth	Pliohippus (5 mya)	Equus (present) Note much larger molars for  chewing; yet retaining the incisors  in front for nipping off grass blades.

The Horses' Toes

Tetraclaenodon Eohippus (or "dawn horse") The 5-toed horse was the  ancestor of Hyracotherium  (50 mya). It had 5 toes on  each of it's two front feet and three on his two hinds.

Mesohippus (30 mya) The first 3-toed horse.

Merychippus (15 mya) Another 3-toed horse.  Yet, the weight was  carried on the inside toe  and the outside toes  served little or no purpose.

Pliohippus (5 mya) The first single toed  (or hoofed) horse.

Expect future articles on evolutionary examples in other species.  The fossil record provides many displays of adaptation to a changing environment.  One of the most interesting is "convergent evolution" where geographically isolated species evolve in very similar ways.  They "converge" on a solution to survive in their new environments.