The New Moon on February 17th marked the beginning of the “Year of the Fire Horse.” In Chinese astrology, the Horse symbolizes freedom, enthusiasm, intelligence, and momentum. The Fire element intensifies the Horse’s traits with passion, transformation, and bold action. It’s essentially a doubling of both.
We can expect an intense, fast-paced, and action-packed 2026, as if the recent years haven’t already been hectic enough. Fire Horse appears once every sixty years and brings rapid changes, bold moves, and a push for transformation. If you’re not prepared for it, though, it may feel urgent, dramatic, or even chaotic.
Fire purifies by burning away dead wood and making room for new growth. Expect major societal changes. I was in first grade during the last Fire Horse in 1966. It was a pivotal time marked by the escalating Vietnam War, the counterculture movement, the space race, and The Beatles.
“Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a time when a significant little chunk of humanity briefly realised its moral potential and flirted with its neurological destiny, a collective spiritual awakening that flared brilliantly until the barbaric and mediocre impulses of the species drew tight once more the curtains of darkness.” ~ Tom Robbins
2026 is likely to unfold quickly, like a galloping horse. He who hesitates will be lost. It will be a time for courageous and decisive action. Be ready to shift into high gear as we move from the subtle energy of the Wood Snake (2025) into an already fast-paced 2026.
I like the image of a Fire Horse, even though I was born an Earth Pig (1959), which is about as far from a Fire Horse as you can get. Earth Pigs are calm, reliable, organized, and stable, with a positive, cheerful outlook on life, bringing harmony and tranquility to their surroundings. A Horse is a much better fit for a Pig than a Snake (2025), which clashes with Pig, so I’m excited to move on.
Chinese zodiac clashes refer to six pairs of animal signs in traditional Chinese astrology that are believed to have conflicting personalities by nature, and the Snake-Pig pair is one of these. An Earth Pig should be able to handle the intense Fire Horse year (2026) quite well by using their natural, grounded, and practical approach to balance the fast, chaotic energy of the horse.
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.” ~ Thomas Merton
Although a Pig might initially feel overwhelmed by the fast pace and intensity of the “fiery” new paradigm, it will be a relief after the volatile, snake clash in 2025. The key for an Earth Pig is to embrace, not resist, the need for strategic, consistent, and well-planned action rather than trying to keep up with the Horse’s frantic, impulsive speed.
Discipline, groundedness, and routine will be my tools to harness the intense, fiery, fast-paced, and chaotic energy of the Fire Horse. You don’t have to be an Earth Pig to create harmony and balance through discipline— it might even work for a Metal Rat (Vickie). Horses and Rats clash, like Snakes and Pigs. Whatever your animal sign, we wish you a prosperous and happy Lunar New Year.
I am a metal pig…hubs is a fire dragon…we are generally considered to be a good match as for the fire horse – it says I will need to maintain composure amidst the fast-changing atmosphere. lol…we will see how that goes.