Where do horses originate from? We don't mean to sound corny, but the answer really does take us on a journey through millions of years of evolution, migration, and domestication.

Horses have roamed the planet far longer than they’ve pulled carts or carried riders, and their story begins in an unexpected place: North America.

Ancient Origins in North America

Horses originated in North America over 55 million years ago, evolving from a small animal known as the dawn horse ( Hyracotherium ).

This ancient species had four toes on each front foot and three on each hind foot, and browsed on leaves rather than grazing on grass. Fossilized horse remains found across the continent provide extensive evidence of horse evolution through time.

Over millions of years, the genus Equus emerged—

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