People who are born in the Year of the Horse tend to be a bit contradictory and capricious, much like their animal counterparts, which can be frustrating for those around them. However, horses have a genuinely sweet and kind nature which often overcomes their flaws. The zodiac sign of the horse is a yang sign, associated with masculinity, while the fixed element of the horse is fire. Fire makes horses competitive, strong, restless, enterprising, single-minded, and extremely innovative. Horses tend to do well in flexible careers which allow them to feel a sense of personal freedom.
When evaluating anyone's personality within the framework of the Chinese zodiac, it is important to remember that the Chinese zodiac is a far from simple system. It runs in cycles, passing through all 12 zodiac animals and their fixed elements along with all of the elements in their yin and yang aspects. This can make things very complicated, as you might imagine, especially when you add the fact that the Chinese consider place and time of birth to be very important.
One of the strongest and most distinctive traits of the horse is a very giving, open nature, and a great desire for freedom. However, horses also really enjoy being the center of attention, and they actively seek praise and acceptance. This can conflict with their free natures, as you might imagine, and horses sometimes come off as arrogant, impatient, childish, or impulsive.
Horses tend to be extremely self confident, and they are very persuasive people. They also give reasonably sound advice, although the advice of a horse should be taken with a grain of salt, since these people can be very impulsive, caught up in the excitement of an idea. It is also dangerous to confide in a horse, not because they are malicious, but because they are naturally excited, and sometimes it can be hard for horses to keep secrets. Horses are also very quick witted, and often become the life of the party.
The sometimes contradictory nature of the horse can make it difficult for people with this zodiac sign to succeed in conventional careers, especially in an office environment. Their enthusiasm makes them great teachers, leaders, executives, and inventors. When working with a horse, it is important to remember that their excitement can be infectious, and it helps to balance a horse with a more naturally conservative person.
Dogs, tigers, sheep, and dragons all get along quite well with horses, balancing their contradictory and impatient nature. Rabbits, pigs, monkeys, and other horses generally establish good relationships with horses as well, while roosters, snakes, and oxes get along poorly with horses. This zodiac sign is particularly notorious for getting along poorly with rats in particular, and these two zodiac signs are often greatly attracted to the each other, which is unfortunate, since their relationships are typically chaotic and tempestuous.