The extinct
‘Hyracotherium’
Leg detail, right
Multiple
digits
Four toes on their front feet with each toe ending in a small hoof
Modern horses
Single
central
toe
The only living animal with a single toe. Research reveals that as the horse's body mass increased, the central toe became larger and more robust allowing it to withstand greater bending forces and expend less energy as they walked
Modern horses
The extinct
‘Hyracotherium’
Leg detail.
right
Multiple
digits
Single
central
toe
Four toes on their front feet with each toe ending in a small hoof
The only living animal with a single toe. Research reveals that as the horse's body mass increased, the central toe became larger and more robust allowing it to withstand greater bending forces and expend less energy as they walked