Home › Chinese zodiac › Year of the Horse
Year of the Horse: Personality, Years, Elements and Compatibility
Quick answer: the Horse (马, Earthly Branch 午) is sign 7 of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. Recent Horse years are 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, and the next is 2038. Horses are known for being energetic and enthusiastic. Best matches: Dog, Tiger and Goat.
The Horse is the zodiac's free spirit. It galloped into seventh place in the Great Race, startled at the last moment by the Snake. Horses are lively, warm and independent, and they bring energy to any group.
Your year animal is one of eight characters in your birth chart. See your full Four Pillars and Day Master, free.
Get your free reading性格Horse personality
| Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|
| Energetic and enthusiastic | Restless and impatient |
| Warm and sociable | Can lose interest quickly |
| Independent and adventurous | Speaks before thinking |
| Quick learner |
In love. Horses fall in love fast and want romance with movement in it. They need a partner who shares adventures and gives them space, and they stay when they feel free rather than held.
At work. Horses do well in travel, sales, journalism, sports, performance, public relations and any role with variety and contact with people.
年份Year of the Horse: every year and exact dates
Each Horse year starts on Chinese New Year and ends the day before the next one. Born in January or early February? Check the dates below, or use the Chinese zodiac calculator.
| Year | Type | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Metal Horse (庚午) | Jan 30, 1930 – Feb 16, 1931 |
| 1942 | Water Horse (壬午) | Feb 15, 1942 – Feb 4, 1943 |
| 1954 | Wood Horse (甲午) | Feb 3, 1954 – Jan 23, 1955 |
| 1966 | Fire Horse (丙午) | Jan 21, 1966 – Feb 8, 1967 |
| 1978 | Earth Horse (戊午) | Feb 7, 1978 – Jan 27, 1979 |
| 1990 | Metal Horse (庚午) | Jan 27, 1990 – Feb 14, 1991 |
| 2002 | Water Horse (壬午) | Feb 12, 2002 – Jan 31, 2003 |
| 2014 | Wood Horse (甲午) | Jan 31, 2014 – Feb 18, 2015 |
| 2026 | Fire Horse (丙午) | Feb 17, 2026 – Feb 5, 2027 |
| 2038 | Earth Horse (戊午) | Feb 4, 2038 – Jan 23, 2039 |
五行The five types of Horse
The Horse comes back every 12 years, but with a different element each time, so the same element and animal repeat every 60 years. The element shades the personality:
Wood Horse: 1954, 2014
Wood adds warmth, growth and a cooperative streak, so the Horse of a Wood year tends to be generous, idealistic and good with people.
Fire Horse: 1966, 2026
Fire adds passion and drive, so the Horse of a Fire year tends to be bolder, more expressive and quicker to act than other Horses.
Earth Horse: 1978, 2038
Earth adds stability and realism, so the Horse of an Earth year tends to be steadier, more practical and more patient than other Horses.
Metal Horse: 1930, 1990
Metal adds determination and strength of will, so the Horse of a Metal year tends to be focused, principled and hard to discourage.
Water Horse: 1942, 2002
Water adds intuition and flexibility, so the Horse of a Water year tends to be perceptive, diplomatic and good at adapting.
See the Chinese zodiac elements table for every year.
合婚Horse compatibility with all 12 signs
| Pair | Type | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 鼠 Horse & Rat | Opposites (Clash) | ★½ (1.5/5) |
| 牛 Horse & Ox | Harm Pair | ★★ (2/5) |
| 虎 Horse & Tiger | Natural Allies (Fire Trine) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 兔 Horse & Rabbit | Neutral Match | ★★★½ (3.5/5) |
| 龙 Horse & Dragon | Neutral Match | ★★★½ (3.5/5) |
| 蛇 Horse & Snake | Neutral Match | ★★★½ (3.5/5) |
| 马 Horse & Horse | Same Sign | ★★★½ (3.5/5) |
| 羊 Horse & Goat | Secret Friends (Six Harmony) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 猴 Horse & Monkey | Neutral Match | ★★★ (3/5) |
| 鸡 Horse & Rooster | Neutral Match | ★★★ (3/5) |
| 狗 Horse & Dog | Natural Allies (Fire Trine) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 猪 Horse & Pig | Neutral Match | ★★★ (3/5) |
Ratings follow classical relationships between the Earthly Branches: trine and Six Harmony pairs are the best matches, the clash sign is the most challenging. See the full compatibility chart.
地支The Horse in BaZi: Earthly Branch 午
| Earthly Branch | 午 (Wu) |
|---|---|
| Fixed element · polarity | Fire · Yang |
| Hour | 11 am – 1 pm |
| Solar month | about Jun 6 – Jul 6 |
| Direction · season | South · mid-summer |
| Hidden stems | 丁 Ding Fire · 己 Ji Earth |
In a BaZi chart the Horse can appear in any of the four pillars: the year (your generation), the month, the day or the hour. The hidden stems are the elements stored inside the branch, which is why two people with the same year animal can have very different charts.
流年The Horse in 2027
2027 is the Year of the Fire Goat. For the Horse: Six Harmony with the Goat (午未六合). Your closest partner rules the year. Read the Year of the Horse 2027 forecast.
问答Questions about the Year of the Horse
What years are the Year of the Horse?
Recent Horse years are 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026. The next Year of the Horse is 2038, starting February 4, 2038. Each year begins at Chinese New Year, so people born in January or early February may belong to the previous sign.
What is the Horse's personality?
Horses are known for being energetic and enthusiastic, warm and sociable and independent and adventurous. Their weak spots: restless and impatient; can lose interest quickly; speaks before thinking.
Who is the Horse most compatible with?
The Horse's best matches are the Dog and Tiger (its trine) and the Goat (its secret friend). The most challenging match is the Rat, the sign directly opposite.
What element is the Horse?
The Horse's fixed element is Fire and it is a Yang sign. Each Horse year also has its own element from the Heavenly Stem, so there are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water Horses.
What time of day is the Horse?
The Horse rules the double hour from 11 am – 1 pm. In a BaZi chart, people born in that window have the Horse in their hour pillar.
See which element balances your chart and what your Day Master says about you. Free reading.
Get your free readingRat · Ox · Tiger · Rabbit · Dragon · Snake · Horse · Goat · Monkey · Rooster · Dog · Pig