New Knowledge of a Prehistoric Horse Relative

Here's an interesting article on a New Zealand website about a strange relative of the prehistoric horse. The Ice Age mammal lived in South America, and its bones have been a real puzzle! DNA analysis has now placed the animal in the same group as horses, rhinos and tapirs. Macrauchenia patachonica was a pretty big critter, much bigger than prehistoric horses, but the weird thing is that it breathed from the upper part of its face. If a horse could do that, it could stick its whole muzzle in the water tank and still breathe! Above is an artist's drawing of what the animal might have looked like.

I try to limit my posts to topics of specific interest to breeders, but I find it fascinating that your horse, far back in its pedigree, is a distant cousin to this strange animal.

To read the whole article, click here.