Year of the Horse
Energetic, independent, cheerful. Years, personality, love, work and compatibility of the Horse.
The Horse is the seventh sign and stands for energy, freedom and perseverance. In Chinese culture the horse has long been a symbol of speed, loyalty and progress.
Quick answer. You are a Horse if you were born in 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 or any other year in the cycle (every 12 years), from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next one. The latest Horse year began on 17 February 2026 and ended on 5 February 2027.
| Order in the zodiac | 7 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | Wu |
| Own element and polarity | Fire, yang |
| Recent years | 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 |
| Harmonious with | Tiger, Dog, Goat |
| Challenging with | Rat, Ox |
| Lucky numbers (traditional) | 2, 3, 7 |
| Lucky colours (traditional) | yellow, green |
Find your Chinese zodiac sign
Horse years: are you a Horse?
You are a Horse if you were born in a Horse year, from its Chinese New Year to the day before the next. Recent Horse years are 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038. The table lists every Horse year from 1900 to 2100 with its exact dates. A January or early February birthday often belongs to the previous animal: Chinese New Year in 2026 was on 17 February 2026, for instance, so anyone born earlier that January was a Snake.
| Year | Sign | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | Fire Horse | 25 January 1906 | 12 February 1907 |
| 1918 | Earth Horse | 11 February 1918 | 31 January 1919 |
| 1930 | Metal Horse | 30 January 1930 | 16 February 1931 |
| 1942 | Water Horse | 15 February 1942 | 4 February 1943 |
| 1954 | Wood Horse | 3 February 1954 | 23 January 1955 |
| 1966 | Fire Horse | 21 January 1966 | 8 February 1967 |
| 1978 | Earth Horse | 7 February 1978 | 27 January 1979 |
| 1990 | Metal Horse | 27 January 1990 | 14 February 1991 |
| 2002 | Water Horse | 12 February 2002 | 31 January 2003 |
| 2014 | Wood Horse | 31 January 2014 | 18 February 2015 |
| 2026 | Fire Horse | 17 February 2026 | 5 February 2027 |
| 2038 | Earth Horse | 4 February 2038 | 23 January 2039 |
| 2050 | Metal Horse | 23 January 2050 | 10 February 2051 |
| 2062 | Water Horse | 9 February 2062 | 28 January 2063 |
| 2074 | Wood Horse | 27 January 2074 | 14 February 2075 |
| 2086 | Fire Horse | 14 February 2086 | 2 February 2087 |
| 2098 | Earth Horse | 1 February 2098 | 20 January 2099 |
Check a birth year
Horse age chart for 2027
How old are people born in Horse years in 2027? The age depends on the birthday, so each row gives two ages: the lower one if the birthday in 2027 has not yet come, and the higher one after it.
| Year | Sign | Chinese year | Age in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Water Horse | 15 February 1942 – 4 February 1943 | 84 or 85 |
| 1954 | Wood Horse | 3 February 1954 – 23 January 1955 | 72 or 73 |
| 1966 | Fire Horse | 21 January 1966 – 8 February 1967 | 60 or 61 |
| 1978 | Earth Horse | 7 February 1978 – 27 January 1979 | 48 or 49 |
| 1990 | Metal Horse | 27 January 1990 – 14 February 1991 | 36 or 37 |
| 2002 | Water Horse | 12 February 2002 – 31 January 2003 | 24 or 25 |
| 2014 | Wood Horse | 31 January 2014 – 18 February 2015 | 12 or 13 |
| 2026 | Fire Horse | 17 February 2026 – 5 February 2027 | 0 or 1 |
The legend of the Horse
In the Great Race, the Horse was about to take second place when the Snake slid out from its hoof and startled it. Some tellings say the Horse then arrived seventh, a good-humoured reminder that surprises happen at the finish.
Horse personality
Horses are traditionally described as cheerful, independent and sociable. They love movement, new places and open spaces, speak frankly and are quick to enthusiasm. They dislike being restricted and are described as hard to tie down.
Strengths
- Energy and enthusiasm
- Independence
- Warmth and sociability
- Honesty and frankness
- Adaptability
Weaknesses
- Impatience
- Restlessness
- A short temper
- Loss of interest once the excitement fades
Horse at home and in the family
At home the Horse is described as a lively, cheerful presence who loves company and activity. Horse parents are thought to be fun and generous, and to find routine and constant supervision difficult.
Horse as a friend
As a friend the Horse is warm, frank and always up for an adventure. Tradition says Horses make friends easily, speak their minds and can be impatient or forgetful when plans change.
Horse in love and relationships
In love, the Horse is described as warm, passionate and fun. It enjoys adventure and honesty and wants a partner who respects its freedom. The usual friction is commitment, since a Horse can pull away if it feels hemmed in. Tradition suggests partners who are active and relaxed.
Horse career and work style
Traditional descriptions place the Horse in active, varied careers: travel, sales, media, sport, performance, journalism and entrepreneurship. Horses are said to earn well but to spend as freely as they earn.
In a team the Horse is described as the energetic one who gets things moving and inspires others. It works best with freedom and variety and can lose interest when the work becomes repetitive.
Horse and money
Horses are traditionally seen as good earners who spend as freely as they earn. Folklore suggests that automatic saving helps a Horse more than good intentions.
Horse under stress
Under stress a Horse is said to become impatient, restless and short-tempered, or to run from the problem. Movement, fresh air and a change of scene are the traditional remedies.
Advice for the Horse
The traditional advice for a Horse is to finish before starting something new, to listen to advice and to think before speaking.
Horse compatibility
In the traditional system the Horse is harmonious with Tiger, Dog (its trine) and with Goat, its secret friend. Its opposite sign, which tradition calls a clash, is the Rat, and the Ox forms a harm pair with it. Every other pairing has no special relationship. These are conversation starters and not predictions.
| Sign | With the Horse | What tradition says |
|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat | Clash: opposite sign | Opposite signs. The Horse’s energetic meets the Rat’s quick-witted, which attracts and irritates in equal measure. |
| 🐂 Ox | Harm pair | A harm pair. The Horse’s energetic and the Ox’s diligent can misread each other, so honesty and patience matter. |
| 🐅 Tiger | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Horse’s energetic goes well with the Tiger’s brave, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐇 Rabbit | No special relationship | No classical link. The Horse’s energetic and the Rabbit’s gentle meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐉 Dragon | No special relationship | No classical link. The Horse’s energetic and the Dragon’s ambitious meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐍 Snake | No special relationship | No classical link. The Horse’s energetic and the Snake’s wise meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐎 Horse | Same sign | Two Horses share the same strengths and the same blind spots, so they understand each other quickly and can also repeat each other’s habits. |
| 🐐 Goat | Secret friend | Secret friends. The Horse’s energetic is balanced by the Goat’s gentle, a bond described as close and complementary. |
| 🐒 Monkey | No special relationship | No classical link. The Horse’s energetic and the Monkey’s clever meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐓 Rooster | No special relationship | No classical link. The Horse’s energetic and the Rooster’s observant meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐕 Dog | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Horse’s energetic goes well with the Dog’s loyal, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐖 Pig | No special relationship | No classical link. The Horse’s energetic and the Pig’s generous meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
Compare two Chinese zodiac signs
The five kinds of Horse
The element of the year adds a second layer to the animal. Wood is described as growth and creativity, Fire as passion and leadership, Earth as stability, Metal as discipline and Water as adaptability. Here are the Horse years of each element, with how tradition describes each kind. Read more in our guide to the Chinese zodiac elements.
| Sign | Years (1900–2100) | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Horse | 1954, 2014, 2074 | The Wood Horse is described as more cooperative and thoughtful than other Horses, cheerful, sociable and full of ideas. |
| Fire Horse | 1906, 1966, 2026, 2086 | The Fire Horse is described as the most passionate and headstrong Horse, bold, independent and prone to temper. |
| Earth Horse | 1918, 1978, 2038, 2098 | The Earth Horse is described as steadier and more practical, a hard worker with a more settled outlook. |
| Metal Horse | 1930, 1990, 2050 | The Metal Horse is described as determined and ambitious, a disciplined Horse with a strong independent streak. |
| Water Horse | 1942, 2002, 2062 | The Water Horse is described as flexible and perceptive, more tactful than other Horses, adaptable to people and places. |
Famous people born in Horse years
Based on publicly reported dates of birth, and using the exact Chinese New Year of each birth year, these well-known people belong to the Horse: Nelson Mandela (18 July 1918); Emma Watson (15 April 1990); Paul McCartney (18 June 1942); Warren Buffett (30 August 1930); Jackie Chan (7 April 1954); Kobe Bryant (23 August 1978); Greta Thunberg (3 January 2003); Joe Biden (20 November 1942). Whether the sign says anything about them is a matter of interpretation.
The Horse in 2027, the Year of the Fire Goat
The Horse is the secret friend of the Goat, one of the six harmony pairs. A Goat year is described as friendly for the Horse, a year of close partnership and good company. This is folklore, not a forecast. See the Chinese New Year 2027 page for every sign.
Lucky numbers and colours
One commonly quoted list gives the lucky numbers 2, 3, 7 and the lucky colours yellow, green for the Horse. Such lists differ between sources and belong to popular folklore, not to any fixed rule.
The neighbouring signs
The Snake comes before the Horse and the Goat comes after it. See all twelve in our guide to the Chinese zodiac.
Frequently asked questions
What years are the Horse years?
Recent Horse years are 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038. Each one runs from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next. For example, the 2026 Horse year runs from 17 February 2026 to 5 February 2027. See the years chart for every date.
Am I a Horse if I was born in January or February?
Only if your birthday is on or after that year’s Chinese New Year. For example, Chinese New Year in 2026 was on 17 February 2026, so a person born on 10 January 2026 belongs to the previous animal, the Snake, and not to the Horse.
What is the personality of the Horse?
Energetic, independent, cheerful. Horses are traditionally described as cheerful, independent and sociable. They love movement, new places and open spaces, speak frankly and are quick to enthusiasm. They dislike being restricted and are described as hard to tie down.
What are the Horse’s strengths?
Energy and enthusiasm; Independence; Warmth and sociability; Honesty and frankness; Adaptability.
What are the Horse’s weaknesses?
Impatience; Restlessness; A short temper; Loss of interest once the excitement fades. Every sign has both strengths and weaknesses in this tradition.
What are the best careers for the Horse?
Traditional descriptions place the Horse in active, varied careers: travel, sales, media, sport, performance, journalism and entrepreneurship. Horses are said to earn well but to spend as freely as they earn.
How does the Horse behave in love?
In love, the Horse is described as warm, passionate and fun. It enjoys adventure and honesty and wants a partner who respects its freedom. The usual friction is commitment, since a Horse can pull away if it feels hemmed in. Tradition suggests partners who are active and relaxed.
Which signs are compatible with the Horse?
Traditionally the Horse is harmonious with Tiger, Dog and Goat, and challenging with Rat and Ox. See the full compatibility chart.
What is the Horse’s element?
The Horse is a Fire animal and a yang sign. Each year also has its own element, so Horse years can be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The table on this page lists them all.
How old is a Horse in 2027?
People born in 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990 turn 1, 13, 25, 37 in 2027, and are one year younger until their birthday. The table on this page gives the ages for every Horse year since 1940.
Which animal comes before and after the Horse?
The Snake comes before the Horse and the Goat comes after it.
What are the Horse’s lucky numbers and colours?
One commonly quoted list gives the numbers 2, 3, 7 and the colours yellow, green. Such lists differ between sources and belong to folklore.
Other signs
For culture and entertainment. The Chinese zodiac is a traditional system of folklore and symbolism. It cannot predict events, and it is not medical, financial, legal or relationship advice. See the full disclaimer.