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one friend is tell me in a few minutes as she paused to reflect on her recent messy breakup. “It doesn’t matter anyway because everything will be fine soon,” she said with a smile. Why is this? “Because next month, This year is the Year of the Horse“. At first, I was confused. This friend had never shown the slightest interest in zodiac signs before, let alone anything. Otherwise remote astrology or spirituality. But she finds comfort here, because starting on February 17th, we transition from the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Horse.
She’s not the only one. Since that conversation a few weeks ago, I’ve had several similar chats with other friends, who confide in me about their various January woes — family fights, money problems, rental nightmares — only to tell me mere seconds later that everything will be fine thanks to the arrival of the Horse next month.
A friend explained that the Snake represents “letting go of past trauma” and left behind toxicity, while the Horse represents entering the new year with a clean slate and a fresh start. Another is obsessed with numerology. The numbers in 2026 add up to 10, which add back up to 1.
“It goes a long way to restoring your energy,” she gushed. A new friend told me that she was planning to cast a love spell to win her ex back, which apparently also had something to do with horses. And the moon.
This obsession extends far beyond my own circle of friends. On social media, there are thousands of viral videos about why the Year of the Horse is so important. “It’s about risk-taking, rebellion and courage,” one TikTok user said in one post. video Viewed over 76,000 times. “The meaning of the snake is to break away from the old. Renewal, the cycle of rebirth, and we will enter the horse, which is creating freedom, courage, compassion and creation.”
The letting go part seems to appeal to a lot of self-help influencers, one Claims she sees people leaving behind “things that feel particularly uncomfortable, like relationships, jobs, situations” as the Year of the Horse approaches. She continued: “Before February started, I had this urge to let go more and I could really stretch myself.”
Another TikTok user pointed out that this year is particularly important because it falls on the day of a solar eclipse. “This is super powerful and it will mark an important moment in human history,” she Tell Her fans liked the video more than 39,000 times. Similar sentiments went viral on Instagram – “2025: Snake. Clears your path. 2026: Horse. Pushes you forward,” one reads. meme It has been liked more than 427,000 times.
So, is the Year of the Horse really that important? Why do so many people hope it will change their lives? The Chinese zodiac is made up of 12 animal constellations, such as the rabbit, dragon, snake, and of course our humble horse. According to the lunar calendar, the zodiac signs correspond to different years, so the year 2027 is Sheep, followed by Monkey. The year you were born determines your personal zodiac sign – many say this will be an especially shocking year for those born in the Year of the Horse (including those born in 1990).
According to Chinese astrology, the Horse represents qualities such as confidence, responsibility, and wisdom. Horses move quickly, seeking freedom and unwilling to be restrained. In terms of what this means for 2026, it’s all about navigating new opportunities and transformation. Combine this with all of numerology and this makeover becomes even more effective. In 2026 we enter cosmic year one (2025 is cosmic year nine, which is about endings), which means we have entered a new numerological cycle and are starting from scratch again. Then there’s the Fire and Horse section – each year corresponds to one of the five Chinese elements; the one ending in six or seven is always fire.
“The Year of the Fire Horse enhances the horse’s natural vitality,” says Ada Ooi, an integrative medicine clinician and founder of 001 London. “Fire brings intensity, urgency, and passion, which makes people feel driven, but also demanding. This combination often results in a faster pace of life and a greater drive to achieve goals, so it’s especially important to be attuned to your body’s limits and energy reserves.”
As for why so many people are invested in all this, well, it seems like anything that makes sense in an increasingly chaotic world is worth holding on to. In a TikTok video, one user pointed out that the last Year of the Fire Horse was 1966, a period of profound global change. It was the beginning of the Cultural Revolution in China, and the Vietnam War was escalating. “Cold War tensions were at their peak, ideological divisions were intensifying, and civil rights unrest was intensifying,” she continued, before rattling off a litany of other examples. Perhaps this Year of the Horse will bring about the same change globally.
Personally, the idea of starting over in 2026 in the vein of this new and exciting horse energy certainly appeals to many. “Culturally, horses represent resilience and drive, qualities that many people are naturally drawn to during times of uncertainty or transition,” explains Susan Gu, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist at London health clinic The HVN. “This symbolism provides comfort and motivation, encouraging people to take initiative, trust their instincts and move forward with confidence. In this sense, it functions less as a fortune teller than as a psychological and emotional reset.”
In societies where religion and other traditional belief systems are marginalized, many people still long for a higher meaning, if only to understand the world and their place in it. Spirituality: These beliefs, ideas, and systems that fall outside of typical Western ideologies are increasingly popular among a wandering generation seeking attachment.
I should add that my female friends tend to be particularly devoted; the men I know tend to roll their eyes at anything zodiac-related. But I’m increasingly thinking they may be missing a trick.
Because whether you believe any of it makes sense or not, entering the new year with a vibrant sense of renewal is undoubtedly a positive thing. If nothing else, that’s some comfort to those who may have had a rough start to the year. Who knows? If we believe that better things are coming, then maybe that’s all we need to ensure. If I had to choose between pessimism and hope, well, I know which one I’d rather choose.