Year of the Horse (午): Personality, Compatibility & Years

Born in the Year of the Horse? Personality, love, career, compatibility, lucky tips and a full list of years, from the Japanese and Chinese zodiac.

At a glance

Order
7 / 12 · Uma (午)
Branch element
Fire
Yin / Yang
Yang
Direction
South
Hours
11:00–13:00

Personality

The Horse is freedom and speed. The character 午 marks the turning point of midday, when yang energy peaks and yin begins.

Strengths

Cheerful, active and honest. Your energy lifts any room.

Watch out for

You can lose interest quickly and dislike being tied down.

Love

You fall in love fast and love openly. A partner who gives you space suits you.

Work

Sales, travel, media, sport and any job that keeps you moving.

Compatibility

Best matches (trine)
Dog · Tiger
Natural ally (six harmonies)
Goat
Clash (handle with care)
Rat

Based on the classical relationships between the twelve branches: the trine (three harmonies), the six harmonies and the six clashes.

Years of the Horse

1930Yang Metal Horse (庚午)
1942Yang Water Horse (壬午)
1954Yang Wood Horse (甲午)
1966Yang Fire Horse (丙午)
1978Yang Earth Horse (戊午)
1990Yang Metal Horse (庚午)
2002Yang Water Horse (壬午)
2014Yang Wood Horse (甲午)
2026Yang Fire Horse (丙午)

Each year begins at Risshun (around 4 February), the start of spring in the solar calendar. In China and Korea the animal is popularly counted from Lunar New Year instead, so people born between January and mid-February may see a different animal elsewhere.

Lucky tips

Get out and move: a morning walk or a short trip resets your luck.

Find your animal by date of birth