Year of the Horse

As the Chinese zodiac sign is all calculated by the Chinese lunar calendar, don’t get a rough result just according to the birth years because your birthday can be a different day in the lunar calendar, and even in a different year.

A quick way to check whether you are a Horse is to see the chart below or type your birth dates directly into the “Find Your Chinese Zodiac” tool.

There is a fascinating legend about how the horse was chosen as one of the zodiac animals. In the ancient tales, the horse had magnificent wings. It was incredibly powerful, capable of running on land, swimming in water, and flying in the sky. Later, the horse was hailed as the “heavenly horse” and became the God of Heaven Jade Emperor's favored steed in the Heavenly Palace. However, due to the Jade Emperor's excessive indulgence, the horse gradually grew arrogant and often behaved recklessly. One day, it broke out of the Heavenly Palace and charged towards the East Sea, trying to force its way into the Dragon Palace. The tortoise guarding the Dragon Palace, along with the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, attempted to stop it. Humiliated and enraged, the horse kicked the tortoise to death. When this incident was reported to the Heavenly Palace, the Jade Emperor ordered to remove the horse's wings and imprison it under the Kunlun Mountains for 300 years as a punishment.

More than 200 years later, when the ancestor of humanity passed by Kunlun Mountains, the horse cried out, “Kind human ancestor, please rescue me. I am willing to serve you for life.” Moved by its plea, the human ancestor saved the horse. To repay the favor of being saved, the horse accompanied the human ancestor to the human world and dedicated its life to serving him and his descendants. In daily life, it plowed fields, pulled carts, and carried heavy loads, ready to do any work. During times of war, it was saddled and armed, charging onto the battlefield, sharing life-and-death moments with its master and achieving numerous military feats. From then on, the horse and humans became inseparable good friends.

When the Jade Emperor was preparing to select twelve zodiac animals, the horse was one of the most highly recommended by humans. Considering its meritorious deeds and contributions to humanity, the Jade Emperor approved the horse's inclusion in the zodiac.

As for why the horse ranks seventh among the Chinese zodiac signs, a traditional explanation related to the Chinese time-keeping method goes like this. In the twelve time slots cycle of a day, the seventh period, “Wu” from 11:00 to 13:00, is when the sun reaches its zenith, casting its most intense rays. The horse, with its spirited and fiery temperament, is much like the mid-day sun. A prime example is the red-maned steed, whose vibrant coat and energetic demeanor mirror the brilliance and intensity of the sun at noon. Thus, the horse is associated with the “Wu” period, and accordingly ranks seventh among the zodiac signs.

Overall, most of the Horses are in good health condition. They are energetic, bouncy and dynamic when they are young.  However, the long term exciting but unhealthy lifestyle may bring some potential health risks. For example, the habit of staying up late can weaken the immune system and the irregular diets may also cause gastrointestinal illnesses.

The Horses should care more about their health now. For the young Horses, keep a regular and balanced diet and reject some night parties, which will be good ways to maintain health. For the middle-aged Horses, learn to escape from the heavy work. Make some time to exercise and rest properly.

According to the Horse fortune prediction in 2025, people with Chinese zodiac Horse sign have the best luck in wealth, and it is possible for them to get a windfall in the year. Career fortune is also promising as long as they learn to cultivate harmonious relationships with superiors and colleagues. Single people would have a great chance to meet his or her true love, while married ones could maintain a good family environment with mutual understanding and prompt communication. Their health luck is satisfying, thus they can achieve a fine health condition with less efforts.