Origins of the Horse

Dr. Chris Mortensen traces the evolutionary path of horses beginning about 65 million years ago during the age of dinosaurs, leading to the present day. He discusses how massive environmental and other changes influenced the physical development and nature of horses over the years. Dr. Mortensen describes how early horses went from a forest-dwelling, four-toed creature called Eohippus, to a single-toed, grassland-residing equid through the process of evolution and adaptability. He also touches upon various species of early horses, interpreting their survival or extinction based on how they adapted to the changing world. In addition, the show explains how the nature of horses made them a classical representation of evolution. The first part of this evolution series wraps up with a look at the proto-horse Marychippus, setting the stage for the emergence of the Equus genus, to be discussed in the next episode. Podcast Timeline 00:00 Introduction to the Evolution of Horses 00:00 The World 65 Million Years Ago 00:51 The Impact of the Fifth Mass Extinction 01:26 Survival and Evolution Post-Extinction 02:18 The Emergence of Eohippus: The First Horse 04:46 Understanding Evolution and Fossil Formation 05:48 The Evolutionary Journey of Horses 25:19 The Transition from Forests to Grasslands 31:10 The Emergence of Single-Toed Horses 32:12 The Modern Day Genus of Equus 33:26 Conclusion and Future Discussions Visit https://madbarn.com/mad-about-horses/ to learn more. --------------------------------- Mad Barn Academy is dedicated to supporting horse owners, handlers and practitioners through research, training and education. Visit us to learn more at https://madbarn.com You can also find Mad Barn at: ⁠Instagram @madbarnequine⁠ Facebook @madbarnequine TikTok @madbarnequine ⁠YouTube @madbarn We would love to hear from you! Please send any questions or comments to ⁠[email protected]