Year of the Horse 马: every year and its exact dates
Last checked · calculated, then checked against the Hong Kong Observatory tables
Now: Year of the Horse
Feb 17, 2026 to Feb 5, 2027
Next Year of the Horse
2038: Earth Horse, from Feb 4, 2038
Earthly Branch
午 Wu, 7th of 12
The Horse is the 7th of the twelve zodiac animals, the Earthly Branch 午 (Wu). From 1900 to 2100 there are 17 Years of the Horse. Their Chinese New Year comes as early as Jan 21 (1966) and as late as Feb 17 (2026), so check the exact start date for a January or February birthday. 7 of them have a leap month (1906, 1930, 1966, 1990, 2014, 2050, 2074). In the traditional calendar the branch 午 also marks the double hour from 11 am to 1 pm, the direction South and the fixed element Fire; it is a Yang branch.
Every Year of the Horse, 1900 to 2100
Age is the age reached at the birthday in 2026. Open a year for its exact boundaries.
| Year | Element | Stem-branch | Starts | Ends | Age in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | Yang Fire | 丙午 Bing-Wu | Jan 25, 1906 | Feb 12, 1907 | 120 years |
| 1918 | Yang Earth | 戊午 Wu-Wu | Feb 11, 1918 | Jan 31, 1919 | 108 years |
| 1930 | Yang Metal | 庚午 Geng-Wu | Jan 30, 1930 | Feb 16, 1931 | 96 years |
| 1942 | Yang Water | 壬午 Ren-Wu | Feb 15, 1942 | Feb 4, 1943 | 84 years |
| 1954 | Yang Wood | 甲午 Jia-Wu | Feb 3, 1954 | Jan 23, 1955 | 72 years |
| 1966 | Yang Fire | 丙午 Bing-Wu | Jan 21, 1966 | Feb 8, 1967 | 60 years |
| 1978 | Yang Earth | 戊午 Wu-Wu | Feb 7, 1978 | Jan 27, 1979 | 48 years |
| 1990 | Yang Metal | 庚午 Geng-Wu | Jan 27, 1990 | Feb 14, 1991 | 36 years |
| 2002 | Yang Water | 壬午 Ren-Wu | Feb 12, 2002 | Jan 31, 2003 | 24 years |
| 2014 | Yang Wood | 甲午 Jia-Wu | Jan 31, 2014 | Feb 18, 2015 | 12 years |
| 2026 | Yang Fire | 丙午 Bing-Wu | Feb 17, 2026 | Feb 5, 2027 | born this year |
| 2038 | Yang Earth | 戊午 Wu-Wu | Feb 4, 2038 | Jan 23, 2039 | – |
| 2050 | Yang Metal | 庚午 Geng-Wu | Jan 23, 2050 | Feb 10, 2051 | – |
| 2062 | Yang Water | 壬午 Ren-Wu | Feb 9, 2062 | Jan 28, 2063 | – |
| 2074 | Yang Wood | 甲午 Jia-Wu | Jan 27, 2074 | Feb 14, 2075 | – |
| 2086 | Yang Fire | 丙午 Bing-Wu | Feb 14, 2086 | Feb 2, 2087 | – |
| 2098 | Yang Earth | 戊午 Wu-Wu | Feb 1, 2098 | Jan 20, 2099 | – |
FAQ
Which years are Years of the Horse?
From 1900 to 2100: 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038, 2050, 2062, 2074, 2086, 2098. Each one starts on Chinese New Year, not on January 1, so the first weeks of each of those calendar years belong to the previous animal.
When is the next Year of the Horse?
The current Year of the Horse runs from February 17, 2026 to February 5, 2027. The next one runs from February 4, 2038 to January 23, 2039; it is an Earth Horse year (戊午).
Which elements can a Horse year have?
All five, each once every 60 years: Earth Horse (1978), Metal Horse (1990), Water Horse (2002), Wood Horse (2014), Fire Horse (2026).
Other animals
Dates are calculated with astronomical algorithms in China Standard Time (UTC+8) and checked against the Hong Kong Observatory, Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table from 1901. This page describes the traditional calendar; it does not describe personality or fortune.