Ural Steppe Horse
Equus (ferus) uralensis
🐴
Chordata
Mammalia
Perissodactyla
Equoidea
Equidae
Equus
Equus (ferus) uralensis
The Ural Steppe Horse — Equus (ferus) uralensis, a cold-adapted wild horse of the late Pleistocene plains of Eurasia, grazed the grassy steppes that stretched from the Ural Mountains to western Siberia. It was a compact, muscular equid that thrived in Ice Age ecosystems dominated by mammoths and bison.
Description
This Pleistocene horse was smaller and stockier than its modern descendants, adapted for endurance in harsh climates and sparse forage. Its coat was likely dense and dun-colored, with a dark dorsal stripe — a common trait among Ice Age equids. The broad skull and powerful limbs suggest it was built for both stamina and cold resistance, capable of ranging widely across frozen grasslands and river valleys.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
350
1.4
2.1
2.4
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
Humans of the Upper Paleolithic hunted Equus (ferus) uralensis extensively, as horse meat was a reliable food source during the glacial winters. Using coordinated drives, early hunters likely forced herds into narrow valleys or toward icy rivers, where they were easier to spear. Bones from butchering sites indicate systematic processing for meat, hides, and sinew.
Archaeological Evidence of Human Predation:
Kapova Cave (Southern Urals, Russia) — c. 20,000 BCE: horse remains and cave art depicting equids, likely E. uralensis.
Kamenka Site, Volga Basin (Russia) — c. 17,000 BCE: horse bones with cut marks found among hearths and stone tools.
Kostyonki Site (Don River region, Russia) — c. 14,000 BCE: clear evidence of butchering and marrow extraction from horse long bones.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Europe
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
5
Est. Renderable Fat
17.5
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3