How did the dawn horse Hyracotherium differ from modern horses?

The Hyracotherium, often called the "dawn horse" or Eohippus, differed significantly from modern horses in several key physical and behavioral traits.12

• Size and Stature: Hyracotherium was diminutive, standing only 30–60 cm (about 12–24 inches) high, with an arched back and raised hindquarters.12
• Feet: Unlike the single-hoofed, unpadded feet of modern equines, Hyracotherium had padded feet with four functional toes on the forefeet and three on the hind feet, each ending in a small hoof.12
• Skull and Brain: It lacked the large, flexible muzzle characteristic of modern horses, and its brain was significantly smaller and less complex.2
• Dentition and Diet: Hyracotherium was a browser with low-crowned teeth adapted for eating leaves, whereas modern horses are grazers with high-crowned, crested teeth designed to grind coarse grasses.123

Over millions of years, the lineage leading to the modern horse evolved through trends including increased body size, the reduction of toes to a single hoof, the loss of footpads, the elongation of the muzzle, and the development of a larger, more complex brain.2