Advertisement
Advertisement
NEWSCMP Lifestyle Series

Year of the Horse 2026: predictions, facts, myths and feng shui

From auspicious horse-themed phrases and couplets to whether your luck is in, discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year.

Updated: 31 Dec, 2025
Photo: Shutterstock
Advertisement
[1]

Why the Year of the Horse 2026 could bring chaos but also great progress

With 12 animals and 5 elements, the Year of the Fire Horse comes around every 60 years and tends to bring both good fortune and bad.

08 Dec, 2025
The Year of the Fire Horse begins on February 17, 2026. Being a “double fire” year, it could mean drastic change ahead. Photo: Shutterstock
Advertisement
Advertisement
[2]

Famous horse-related works of art as the Year of the Horse 2026 approaches

To celebrate the nearing Year of the Fire Horse, we look at paintings, books and plays that show how the use of horses in art has evolved.

12 Dec, 2025
A scene from War Horse, performed at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2019. The award-winning British play is one of many artworks made over the centuries with a strong equine focus. Photo: Winson Wong
[3]

5 of the best-known horses in Chinese legend, from the Red Hare to qilin

Horses play a fascinating role in Chinese folklore, ranging from the downright disturbing – one kidnaps a girl – to the gently auspicious.

14 Dec, 2025
Warlord Lu Bu and his famous horse Red Hare are depicted in the 2013 video game Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends.
[4]

Mongolia’s child jockeys are key to its heritage. But are they in danger?

Light and agile, children have long held the reins in Mongolian horse racing. But the hazards of the sport make it anything but child’s play.

16 Dec, 2025
Horse rider Dolgorsuren Batoyun (centre) is pictured as a child. Now grown up, the first woman member of Mongolia’s national polo team looks back fondly on the “cultures and customs” her father (right) taught her. Photo: Dominique Backhouse
[5]

‘I have witnessed magic’: how horses help Hong Kong people with disabilities

Riding for the Disabled Association instructor Joelle Scott reveals some of the amazing ways equine therapy can help those with disabilities.

19 Dec, 2025
An instructor for Hong Kong’s Riding for the Disabled Association guides a child on a horse. The non-profit organisation teaches disabled children and some adults to ride a horse to the best of their ability. Photo: RDA
[6]

Explainer | What is horse oil and why is it a popular skin treatment in East Asia?

Horse oil is said to intensely hydrate skin, fortify hair, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles, but research is lacking on such claims.

21 Dec, 2025
Horse oil has been used for centuries to treat burned and chapped skin, and later as a beauty product. Photo: Shutterstock
[7]

New restaurant Yurt brings Kazakhstan’s horsemeat tradition to Hong Kong

Horsemeat is a central part of Kazakh and Central Asian culture and, for the team at Yurt, there was no question of it not being on the menu.

23 Dec, 2025
A variety of dishes at Yurt, including beshbarmak (top left). Photo: Yurt
[8]

How China fell in love with My Little Pony collectible cards

When My Little Pony first aired on TV in China, it didn’t take off. Instead, it was collectible cards that saw it become a galloping success.

24 Dec, 2025
My Little Pony trading cards have become hugely popular across China, with fans hoping to find rare cards in packs.
[9]

What is the horse pose in yoga? Only ‘3 out of 10 students’ can do it

Horse pose, also known as horse face pose or vatayanasana, is a challenging yoga pose that boosts hip mobility, strength and concentration.

25 Dec, 2025
A yoga practitioner performs horse pose. Also known as horse face pose or vatayanasana, it is a very advanced posture in yoga that can boost hip mobility and strength. Photo: Shutterstock
[10]

How the horse paintings of Xu Beihong have galloped through history

Known as the father of modern Chinese art and famed for his horse paintings, Xu Beihong blended Western techniques with Chinese tradition.

26 Dec, 2025
The Three Stallions, by Xu Beihong. The piece is just one example of the many horse paintings that Xu was known for.
[11]

7 successful people born in the Year of the Horse, from Ang Lee to Lu Han

Horses are considered to be energetic, capable and driven to succeed. Here are 7 famous, successful Horses who epitomise those characteristics.

30 Dec, 2025
Jackie Chan, famous for his stunts and martial arts films, was born in 1954, the Year of the Horse. Photo: Golden Harvest
[12]

The Chinese cowboys challenging narratives of the American Old West

Whether through art or immersion in the rancher lifestyle, these Asian men are redefining what it means to be a cowboy in the American West.

31 Dec, 2025
Self-professed Chinese cowboy Bruce Wang Shibo stands with a horse. The Chinese national is one of those rewriting narratives of the American West. Photo: Bruce Wang Shibo
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x