Prehistoric horse

Some of the most famous discoveries from the Messel Pit are the fossil remains of prehistoric horses. More than 60 skeletons of stallions, foals and mares have been found, with some of the mares even being pregnant. The discovery of fetuses in the mares’ wombs is of particular interest, since it opens a window into the evolution of the reproductive system in mammals. The oldest and best preserved utero-placenta shows that the reproductive apparatus of the prehistoric mare does not differ from that of modern-day female horses, despite about 50 million years of evolution. Its development had already reached the present state at that time. The prehistoric horses only grew to a height of 35 to 60 centimeters (at the shoulder) and weighed no more than 5 to 6.6 kilograms. The shape of their teeth and the stomach contents that were found indicate a diet of leaves and fruits.