Chinese zodiac sign 7 of 12
Year of the Horse: personality, love and years
A free spirit full of energy that needs movement and room to roam. Years of the Horse: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026.
Horse
- Yang
- Fixed element: Fire
- In Chinese
- 马 (mǎ)
- Hour of the Horse
- 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
The Year of the Fire Horse is running now, until February 5, 2027. The next Horse year, the Year of the Earth Horse, begins on February 4, 2038.
Years of the Horse with elements and dates
A Year of the Horse begins on Chinese New Year, not on January 1. If your birthday is in January or February, check your date against the table or enter it in the calculator.
| Year | Sign | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Metal Horse | 01/30/1930 – 02/16/1931 |
| 1942 | Water Horse | 02/15/1942 – 02/04/1943 |
| 1954 | Wood Horse | 02/03/1954 – 01/23/1955 |
| 1966 | Fire Horse | 01/21/1966 – 02/08/1967 |
| 1978 | Earth Horse | 02/07/1978 – 01/27/1979 |
| 1990 | Metal Horse | 01/27/1990 – 02/14/1991 |
| 2002 | Water Horse | 02/12/2002 – 01/31/2003 |
| 2014 | Wood Horse | 01/31/2014 – 02/18/2015 |
| 2026 | Fire Horse now | 02/17/2026 – 02/05/2027 |
Horse personality
The Horse is the sign of people always on the move. It has loads of energy, curiosity about the world and a need for independence. It is direct, warm and sociable, makes friends easily and rarely stays in one place for long. It likes to be where the action is and feels good when something is happening.
The same energy makes the Horse impatient and fickle. It starts many things at once and doesn't finish them all, and it reacts badly to being controlled. It makes decisions quickly, sometimes too quickly. But when something truly grabs it, it works with a passion that's hard to match.
Strengths
- Enthusiasm and optimism
- Independence
- Honesty
- Making friends easily
Weaknesses
- Impatience
- Fickleness
- Impulsive decisions
The Horse in love
In love the Horse falls fast and wholeheartedly. It is passionate, honest and full of ideas for a life together, but it needs a partner who gives it room. Jealousy, control and too many obligations quickly smother it. It is happiest in a relationship that is an adventure of two independent people, not a closed circle.
The Horse at work and with money
At work the Horse needs movement, variety and freedom. It does well in sales, travel, sports, media and communications, anywhere you work with people and out in the field. It learns quickly and improvises well. Monotonous tasks, rigid hours and micromanagement drain its motivation faster than anyone else's.
The Horse in the five elements
The same sign looks a little different in each element. Your element comes from your birth year, and the years next to each description link to their own pages.
The Wood Horse is the most balanced of its family. Wood tempers its impatience and teaches it to cooperate, so it finds it easier to finish what it starts. It is cheerful, curious about the world and glad to help others. It still needs its freedom, but commitments don't scare it the way they scare other Horses.
Fire is the Horse's fixed element, and the Fire Horse has the most energy and temperament of them all. In Japan the superstition about women born in a Fire Horse year (hinoeuma) was so strong that in 1966 about a quarter fewer babies were born there than the year before. The sign itself is seen as bold, charismatic and independent, though it can be hot-headed and impatient.
Earth Horse
1978Earth cools the Horse's impulsiveness. The Earth Horse checks the map before it sets off, which makes it the most thoughtful of its family. It works steadily and handles money sensibly, while keeping the Horse's cheerful spirit. When it comes to truly important decisions, though, it can hesitate for a long time.
The Metal Horse goes its own way and doesn't like being told what to do. Metal strengthens its determination and self-confidence, so it pushes hard and isn't afraid of risk. It is honest and independent to the core. It puts up with long commitments and other people's rules worse than any other Horse.
Water makes the Horse flexible and communicative. The Water Horse has a sense of humor, makes friends easily and is at its best on the road and amid changes that throw others off balance. Its weakness is inconstancy: it changes plans often, and focusing on one thing doesn't come easily.
Horse compatibility: best and worst matches
Trine
The Tiger and the Dog share its idealism and temperament. With the Tiger the Horse shares courage and drive, while the Dog gives it loyalty and support.
Secret friend
The Goat calms the Horse's restlessness and gives it warmth, and the Horse brings energy and courage into the Goat's life. Tradition sees them as a very harmonious pair.
Opposite sign
The Rat stands opposite the Horse. The Rat plans and saves, the Horse lives in the moment and prizes freedom, so they easily clash over money and the pace of life.
Horse lucky numbers and colors
- Lucky numbers
- 2, 3 and 7
- Lucky colors
- yellow and green
This is what popular Chinese tradition says. Different sources list slightly different numbers and colors, so treat them as a fun fact, not a rule.
The Chinese zodiac is a cultural tradition more than two thousand years old, not a science. We calculate the dates and signs precisely, but read the personality descriptions as food for thought, not as a prophecy.
Frequently asked questions
What years are Horse years in the Chinese zodiac?
Horse years since 1924 are 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026. The Horse comes back every 12 years, each time with a different element. The year begins on Chinese New Year, so people born in January and early February may still have the previous year's sign.
When is the next Year of the Horse?
The Year of the Fire Horse is running now, until February 5, 2027. The next Horse year, the Year of the Earth Horse, begins on February 4, 2038.
What are the Horse's personality traits?
The Horse is seen as energetic, honest and independent. It loves movement, travel and new experiences, and its optimism rubs off on others. Its weaker side is impatience and a habit of dropping things once they stop being exciting.
Who is the Horse most compatible with?
By Chinese tradition the Horse gets along best with the other signs of its trine: the Tiger and Dog. Its secret friend is the Goat, and its opposite sign is the Rat. Tradition expects the most friction from that last pairing, though it doesn't rule the relationship out.
What are the Horse's lucky numbers and colors?
By popular Chinese tradition the Horse's lucky numbers are 2, 3 and 7, and its lucky colors are yellow and green. Sources give slightly different sets, so treat them as a fun fact, not a rule.
Is the Horse yin or yang?
The Horse is always yang, because all Horse years are even numbers. Yang is outward energy: active, direct and quick to get things started. The Horse's fixed element is Fire, though from one Horse year to the next it takes on each of the five elements in turn.
Your AI forecast for the Year of the Fire Horse
The calculator tells you your sign. In the Sanctuary, AI sets it against the sign of the current year and writes a forecast for you: love, work and money, health, and your lucky months. You get 5 free tokens to start, and a forecast costs 1 token.
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