The illustrations depict the changes to the horse from 40 million years ago to now. The most immediately observable development is the ever increasing size.
Eohippus, from 40 million years ago, and more doglike than a horse, was the smallest, having only a small tail and lacking a mane at all. Its feet have four splayed out of about equal size.
Mesohippus, living 30 million years ago, was bigger overall, with a longer tail, the beginnings of a mane around neck, and a foot with toes, a larger central toe and two smaller toes on either side, and beginning to resemble more closely the horse that we would recognise from today.
Coming in 15 million years ago was Merychippus, looking much like a smaller version of today's horse. It had even more mane, that distinctive elongated face that we see in the modern horse,and a foot whose central toe had grown even bigger and with an four segments as opposed to the three segments of Merrychippus and the two of Eohippus.
Finally, the modern horse, the largest of the four horses presented, with a flowing mane and flourishing tail, and a foot whose toes have become fused to form a single hoof. It has three toe bone segments joining to the ankle bone. (218 words) MH
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