The horse is very quick-witted and is right in there with you before you have had the chance to finish what you are saying: he's on to the thought in your mind even before you've expressed it. In general, the Horse is gifted. But in truth he is really more cunning than intelligent - and he knows that. That is probably why, most of the horse people lack confidence.

Chinese believe that because horses are born to race or travel, all Horse people invariably leave home young. The Horse despises being pressured to act for the good of the group or made to feel guilty. No matter how integrated he seems to be, a Horse's inner self remains powerfully rebellious. Although they have boundless energy and ambition, Horses have a hard time belonging.

The Horse is hot-blooded, hot-headed and impatient. He is a bit of an egoist, well, selfish sometimes, that it is rare for him to interest himself in any problems except his own. And though this egoist works only for himself and for his own success, his work nevertheless benefits everybody.

The Horse is a worker, adepts at handling money and a good financier. But unfortunately, he is also famous for suddenly losing interest on something. In his relationship with opposite sex, the Horse is weak. He will give up everything for love.

Being born a Horse, there are many contradictions in his character. Horses are proud yet sweet-natured, arrogant yet oddly modest in their approach to love, envious but tolerant, conceited yet humble. They want to belong, yet they are burdened by their need for independence. They need love and crave intimacy yet often feel cornered, pressured. But the truth is, the Horse is an individual, who depends only on his wits and his labor to get what he wants.

Charming and cheerful, the Horse is an extremely likable character. Hard working, self-possessed and sharp, the Horse skillfully acquires power, wealth and respect. However, the Horse's sometime-appreciated frankness can be tactless. The Horse's impatient pursuit of success may become selfish and predatory. Horses can be obstinate. In truth, they are more cunning than intelligent, and they know it. This is why, despite that air of assurance, the Horse lacks confidence in himself.

Above all, the Horse is cut out to be in politics, a career which could bring great personal satisfaction with the opportunity to grind his own axe. He could be a winner here, for he has the facility to sway the crowd.

He is very quick-witted and he is right in there with you before you have had the chance to finish what you were saying; he's on to the thought in your mind even before you've expressed it. This permits the Horse to forestall any arguments that anyone can dream up.

With the Horse, movement is everything. Freedom and independence are as essential to Horse-born people as the air they breathe. A low boredom threshold, both in terms of interests and friendships, is characteristic of those belonging to this sign, and adds a whimsical quality to the otherwise level headedness of these folk. Consequently, they tend to act on impulse, and this means there is an element of unpredictability about them.

Like the symbol by which they are represented, Horse-born people are high-spirited and lively. Their vivacity and enthusiasm make them very popular. With a deft sense of humor, Horses are masters of repartee. They love to take center stage and delight audiences everywhere. Sometimes rash and willful, they can be prone to rapid changes of mood and, although seldom really explosive of temper, when they do see red, it is not a pretty sight. Those who have suffered a Horse's rage will never feel quite the same about him again, for his fits of temper are inevitably a bit childish. If he wants to succeed, he has to master them.

Resourceful and self-confident, Horses approach all things enthusiastically. Quick-witted and mentally alert, they are quick to catch on and efficient in all their undertakings. Because of this ability, this dexterous and incisive mind of theirs, they can make accurate judgments and sound decisions instaneously. They are particularly skilled at handling money, very often in business dealings following their hunches. When it comes to intuition they have a sixth sense that is quite uncanny. Unfortunately, as the Horse is a creature of changing moods he's liable to lose interest suddenly in things he's taken up, whether it's a love affair, a single deal in business, or a whole career. He'll start again with the same determination, and he'll enjoy an equal success. He can make it in any career that demands neither solitude nor meditation, for he is an extrovert and he needs to be surrounded by people who approve of him and flatter him.

Due to their dislike of inactivity, Horses get involved in many sorts of works outside their chosen trade. Good with their hands and attracted to art, they are skillful craftsmen with a talent for innovation.

The first and second part of the Horse's life will be full of ups and downs. He will leave his home and family while he is still young, and this will bring its own disappointments. His love life will be by no means smooth. But the third phase of the Horse's life will be a peaceful one.

About the Fire Horse

The six decades spanning the gaps between the years of the Fire Horse mean that this rare sign occurs only in the years 1846, 1906, 1966, 2026, etc. These years are bad for Horses themselves and bad for families who have a Horse in the house. This is because the Fire Horse's influence can change from beneficial to malign, and during these years all Horse families will become subject to illness, accidents and bad luck in general.

Men and women actually born in the year of the Fire Horse will have the same characteristics as the ordinary Horse -- but they will be more accentuated, in the good qualities as well as in the bad. The Fire Horse will thus be a harder worker, a more cunning individual, more independent, more gifted ... and alas, far more selfish. His passionate nature and the frantic egotism which seizes him will lead him to commit his worst excesses when he is in love.

There are those who say that the Fire Horse can be a good influence in the heart of his own family. But popular belief asserts that he will make trouble in the home he was born in just as he does in the one he himself has built.

What we do know is that the Fire Horse will have a career that is more varied, more exceptional, more interesting than that of the ordinary Horse. The Fire Horse carries within himself the seeds of fame ... or of notoriety!

The Horse in Love

When they fall in love, Horses seem to lose all logic, all sense of perspective. Unpredictable at the best of times, when they lose their hearts, there is simply no telling what the Horse-born will do next. These people possess an extremely low boredom threshold and soon get tired of the same people and the same situations. They love their independence and, as soon as they feel a partner is making too many demands or limiting their freedom, they will rebel and gallop off in search of new pastures. Noncomformists, free thinkers, thirsting for life, Horses risk daring romantic adventures. The idea of being married several times does not disturb them, and they adore children. Age eventually mellows the Horse, and those born under its influence who have not found stability when younger are likely to settle down in later life.

Conspirators together, the Horse can make his life with the Ram. He also lives in harmony with the Tiger and Dog. These two, intent on the solution of their own psychological problems, will pay no attention to the romantic instability of the Horse. He also has a good relationship with the Rooster, Monkey, and Boar. Under no circumstances must the Horse marry a Rat, in particular if the Horse is female and born under the rare sign of the Fire Horse (1906, 1966, etc.). Any liaison between these two passionate natures can only result in sparks which must lead to conflagration.

July is the month of the Horse. The time of the Horse is from 11:00 a.m. to 12:59 p.m.; their direction of orientation is the south. The Horse's color is orange.