The Horse of the Chinese Zodiac

Years:	1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Element:	Fire
Yin or Yang:	Yang
Lucky Colours:	Green, Red, Purple
Lucky Numbers:	3, 4, 9
Crystal:	Clear Quartz
Flower:	Calla Lily
Characteristics:	Adaptable, Loyal, Spontaneous, Ambitious

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The Legend of the Horse

Occupying the seventh position of the Chinese zodiac is the free-spirited, charismatic, and unpredictable Horse.

According to the legend of the Chinese zodiac race, in which all the animals had to compete in a race to win a spot on the Jade Emperor’s calendar, the Horse was one of the favorites to win, thanks to her speed and agility.

However, not long into the race, the Horse came across a pond and caught a glimpse of herself. Her own reflection caused her to become distracted, and while she was admiring herself, the other animals streaked by. It was only when she noticed the stamping of feet and hooves had long disappeared that she remembered the race!

Quickly, she galloped towards the finishing line but on the way was startled by the Snake that sprang out from the grass, taking advantage of her temporary shock to beat her to the finishing line. She quickly composed herself again and finally made it to the end of the line, coming in seventh.

Year of the Horse Personality Traits

The true free spirit of the Chinese zodiac, the Horse is not one to conform to rules and regulations.

This is the person that wakes up one day and randomly says, “I’m leaving my job and going on a six-month journey across the world!” or the one who calls you up in the middle of the night and whispers, “let’s go on a midnight adventure!” This is an artistic sign that goes wherever the wind takes them.

The Chinese zodiac Horse can certainly never be accused of being dull. In addition, they are among the most happy-go-lucky signs and are highly popular because of their free, fun-loving nature. But because their personalities are so interchangeable, it is not uncommon for them to have extreme aspects to their character, which may shock those who don’t know them well. Family and friends close to the beloved Horse will understand these dynamics and often sigh or shake their head; strangers and new acquaintances may be shocked to the point of retreating, sometimes permanently.

The Horse of the Chinese zodiac may be cheerful, passionate, and filled with joy and laughter one minute, and rash and hot-headed the next, liable to losing their temper at the drop of a hat or suddenly withdrawing in sullen silence.

They can be extremely stubborn, and though usually quick to anger, their rage dies just as quickly as it flared up, and they are back to smiling and joking again. Such outbursts, however, while swiftly forgotten by the interchangeable Horse, can turn fans and followers into enemies in a very short amount of time, and it can be very hard for the Horse to win back favor from them again.

Though the Horse will often have the best intentions, they are not the most diplomatic of individuals. Unlike the Rabbit, whose middle name is “courtesy,” or the Snake, whose social grace is second to none, the Horse has been known to bark out orders and then become irritable when they feel these orders are not being fulfilled. To the Horse’s credit, upon realizing they have offended someone, they are very quick to show humility and make amends – but this is usually only if one has taken the initiative to point it out to them!

No other sign rivals the Horse when it comes to the pursuit of happiness, and this is what people close to them love and admire about them so much.

The Horse has little to no restrictions; they do not let petty or minor rules hold them back. They are free spirits and adventurous souls who believe life is for living – the Horse is the one who makes a bucket list and actually ticks off each and every single thing on it.

Intelligent, dynamic, and unafraid to express their opinions, Horses attract the admiration of many individuals who view their courageous and expressive take on life as an inspiration.

Horses tend to love the outdoors and are usually very athletic, at least in the earlier parts of life. There’s nothing they love more than going on a mountain hike or a trip to the woods to check out the wildlife and engage in exciting adventures, particularly if they have a friend to accompany them.

In addition, the Horse is not just highly agile in the physical sense but also in the mental: Horses have an acute, aware, and keen sense of thinking that makes them very adaptable and able to deal with most situations without losing their heads.

The Chinese zodiac Horse is a Yang sign, highlighting their external, active perceptions of the world. This is not to say that Horses are not inward-focused (many of them very much are!), but they have an innate need to manifest their internal thoughts and beliefs into the external. This is often done through some artistic measure, such as painting, drawing, writing, or sculpting.

Expecting a Horse to bottle up their feelings is like asking the Moon to stop orbiting the Earth–Horses must express themselves and damn the consequences!

Horses tend to have remarkable gifts of intuition–more often than not, they are right! Their uncanny insight gets them further in life than well-applied logic or reason, and this is one reason why others may view them as flighty.

The Horse may not be the most reliable or materialistically secure of individuals, but they are certainly some of the most exciting! Having a Horse in your life is guaranteed to set off some fireworks.

Horses & Love

Of all the Chinese zodiac signs, the Horse is the one known for being the most fickle. This is not, of course, with any intent to hurt anyone or cause a trail of broken hearts in their wake. Rather, the Horse’s attention can easily be snapped up by another–particularly if the relationship is of a long-distance sort.

This is not to say Horses cannot be faithful because they certainly can–but the Horse needs passion, intrigue, and zest. Anything begins to look stagnant and dull, and the Horse can usually be found galloping off into the sunset to pursue the next romantic adventure.

Male Horses

The male Horse is known for being a bit of a Casanova, sowing his wild oats wherever he may be. For this reason, many an angry lover has had a few choice words to say about this wild stallion.

But, as the male Horse grows older, he feels more inclined to settle down. This does not mean that he no longer craves adventure and excitement, but rather that, despite his wayward ways, deep down, he does crave the love of a good partner and will happily settle for one he feels is able to meet his needs.

Female Horses

Female Horses are stunning to behold. They usually have incredible taste in clothes and an attitude to match. Others find them very desirable–but a lady Horse is hard to pin down. She can be a little flighty, and if she becomes bored or dissatisfied with someone, the person in question will usually be dropped like a brick.

As with her male counterpart, if she meets someone who captivates both her intrigue and intellect, then she is onto a winner.

Horse Love Compatibility

As a member of the Third Trine in the Chinese zodiac, the Horse is most compatible with the other signs that are part of this trine, which are the Tiger and Dog.

The Horse and Tiger make a wonderful team–both of them have an innate drive towards humanitarian causes, and both have the fiery passion to achieve their goals in this area. The Horse will marvel at the Tiger’s courage and prowess, while the Tiger will greatly admire the Horse’s ability to jump right into the action without letting worries or concerns hold them back. Together, these two make an unstoppable pair.

Similarly, the Horse and Dog make a fantastic item. The Dog provides caution to the flighty Horse, while the Horse appreciates the Dog’s protective and vigilant instincts. The two of them balance each other out while understanding one another’s basic, primal instincts.

The least compatible animal with the Chinese zodiac Horse is the Rat.

In the Circle of Conflict, the Horse and Rat stand opposite one another. The Horse’s season is summer, and the Rat’s is winter; the Horse points south while the Rat points north. These two are far too different to ever get along. The Rat is a methodical planner and thinking, relying on logic and rationale to see him through. The Horse relies purely on instinct, and planning is rarely on the agenda. A match is ill-advised.

Horses & Career

Because Horses have very interchangeable personalities, it can be hard for them to stick to a job or career that demands routine. Horses thrive best when they can run their own business and decide their own hours. They also work well in flexible roles, such as three days on, two days off.

It is important for the Horse of the Chinese zodiac to have jobs that don’t demand too much attention from them so they can indulge in the pleasure side of their nature too. Similarly, Horses do not like roles that restrict them in any way, particularly in areas of expression.

When Horses apply patience and persistence to their careers, they can achieve great things.

Some roles suited to Horse people are sales, where they can show off their gift of the gab; journalism, which is always exciting and on the go; politicians, where they can influence others; athletes, where they exhibit their phenomenal physiques; and authors, where they can express their rich inner world through writing.

Horses & Money

The Horse does not normally have a problem with attaining money. Their fun-loving approach to life, plus their innate charm and strength of character, mean that acquiring a job is rarely a problem for them.

Horses like money, but like their Tiger friends, they are not motivated by money. It is security that tends to elude Horses, which is something they have little concern for.

Horses are not stingy or greedy with money and are happy to splash out if it means it will lead to some form of unexpected excitement or adventure. These can lead to a swift depletion of their bank accounts–but Horses needn’t fear! Just when they seem to have run out of money, more tends to show up.

The Horse Through The Elements

Metal Horse
1930, 1990

This Chinese zodiac Horse has extremely high energy and can also be the most disobedient of the lot.

The Metal Horse of the Chinese zodiac is highly productive, but if you join them in their endeavors, then be sure you can keep up. They do not have time for those who slow them down, not when there are so many things to do and so many tasks to conquer.

The Metal element brings a strong, stubborn streak out of this Horse. When things become particularly dull and grey, they will throw their plans out of the window and seek adventure elsewhere.

A Metal Horse hates answering to authority and will do everything possible to ensure they are their own master. Make no mistake, though–when the Metal Horse sets their sights on a goal, nothing and no one will stand in their way.

Water Horse
1942, 2002

The Water Horse of the Chinese zodiac makes an excellent businessperson with their cheery and adaptable nature. They are usually excellent at establishing deals with others, and their excellent flexibility skills make them a pleasure to work with.

They can be very restless, however, and once bored, will move swiftly on to the next best thing. They can also be fickle-minded and struggle with maintaining concrete stability over a significant period of time.

People will be utterly captivated by the Water Horse’s charm but mind-boggled when they seem to disappear into the night.

This Horse’s powers of persuasion and charm are indeed phenomenal, but if they truly want to make the best of themselves, it is advisable for them to learn the benefits of long-term planning and determination.

Wood Horse
1954, 2014

Perhaps the most reasonable and least flighty of all the Horses, the Wood Horse of the Chinese zodiac is a highly affable and sociable individual who gets along with pretty much everyone. Others flock to this Horse whose very presence tends to calm stressful situations and whose light-hearted choice of words simmer tense ones.

This Horse is not a conventionalist and can even dislike traditions. They consider themselves highly progressive thinkers and will often be avid fans of technology and all kinds of gadgets.

Though more patient than the other Horses of the Chinese zodiac, the Wood Horse will still intensely dislike being ruled by anyone other than themselves.

Fire Horse
1966, 2026

The most adventurous and dynamic of all the Chinese zodiac Horses, the Fire Horse is quite the force to reckon with.

This Horse is gifted with high intellect and does not hesitate to speak her mind. There is a true daredevil attribute to the Fire Horse and a great deal of excitability attached due to the double-whammy of Fire in their chart, which amplifies the Horse’s natural traits.

Rarely will a Fire Horse have a dull or boring life. They are always jetting off randomly to strange, far-off lands or embarking on exciting and daring affairs. Their thrill-seeking ways can land them in trouble, but the Fire Horse lives for the moment, attracting streams of admirers on the way!

Earth Horse
1978, 2038

The most logical of all the Chinese zodiac Horses, the Earth Horse is not as fast-moving as the other Horses and instead prefers to take their time, or at least, to think before they jump.

The Earth element influence here means these Horses are more cautious than their counterparts in thinking before they speak, which means they keep things a little closer to their chest.

The Earth Horse is the best of the Chinese zodiac Horses at making commitments and sticking to them. However, being a Horse, they still retain that resistance to authority–albeit in a more subtle way–preferring quieter methods of resisting as opposed to loud, brash ones.

Earth Horses are usually happy characters, and many seek their company for their sheer joviality and pleasant demeanor. The Earth Horse can also be woefully indecisive, agonizing over little things for much longer than is necessary.