New World Stilt-Legged Horse
Haringtonhippus francisci
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Chordata
Mammalia
Perissodactyla
Equoidea
Equidae
Haringtonhippus
Haringtonhippus francisci
Haringtonhippus francisci, the North American Stilt-Legged Horse, was a sleek and long-limbed equid that roamed Ice Age grasslands from Alaska to Texas. Its gracile build made it the fleet-footed cousin among Pleistocene horses — a specialist for open plains and speed.
Description
Haringtonhippus francisci was long mistaken for a small, slender subspecies of Equus until genetic analysis revealed it as a distinct genus. It was characterized by unusually slim leg bones — reminiscent of modern onagers and hemiones — which contributed to its nickname “stilt-legged horse.” This morphology hints at an adaptation for high-speed endurance across arid steppe and desert terrain during the Late Pleistocene. The skull was narrow with elongated nasal passages, possibly improving respiratory efficiency during fast runs in hot, dry environments.
Fossil evidence suggests Haringtonhippus occupied western North America, especially the Great Basin, Alaska, and parts of Mexico. It coexisted with mammoths, bison, and saber-toothed cats, but unlike its sturdier relatives, it thrived in open, sparsely vegetated habitats.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
250
1.4
2.1
2.4
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
Humans in North America likely encountered and hunted Haringtonhippus francisci during the terminal Pleistocene. Paleoindian groups such as the Clovis culture targeted horses for meat and hides, using finely flaked stone points. While no direct kill site is definitively attributed to Haringtonhippus, cut-marked equid bones from southern plains sites align in age and morphology. Its extinction coincides closely with the arrival of widespread human settlement and climatic warming that reduced its arid habitat.
Archaeological Evidence:
Natural Trap Cave, Wyoming — stilt-legged horse remains radiocarbon dated to about 12,000 years ago.
Rancho La Brea Tar Pits, California — fossilized bones showing the distinct gracile limb structure characteristic of Haringtonhippus.
Alaska permafrost deposits — well-preserved specimens with collagen suitable for DNA extraction, confirming genetic separation from true Equus.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
12000
BP
Late Pleistocene
North America
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
5
Est. Renderable Fat
12.5
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3