Did horses become extinct from North America during the ice ages?

Horses did not become extinct in North America during the ice ages. In fact, horses originated in North America and spread to other continents during the ice ages. The horse genus Equus evolved in North America during the Pleistocene epoch, around 2.5 million years ago. Horses were abundant in North America until about 10,000 years ago, when they disappeared from the continent due to a combination of climate change and hunting by humans. However, horses were reintroduced to North America by European settlers in the 16th century.