Lunar Year of The Fire Horse
The Year of the Fire Horse - is it all written in the stars?
I don’t know about you but when I hear the numbers involved in talking about how vast the universe is it starts to melt my brain.
I love looking at the night sky – not looking for aliens, or shooting stars to wish on, or to catch a glimpse of the vast amount of crap humanity has launched into orbit around our beautiful planet.
Do the stars and planets have a bearing on us mere mortals?
I do think there’s something in it – given we’re made mostly of water (and stardust) and seeing how the moon’s gravitational pull affects vast oceans, I can’t see how we can help but be affected.
Which brings me on to the new lunar year – because this year is extra special. It’s a celebration of the horse, a fire horse at that.
Cue all the big companies shoe-horning various loosely equine themed designs into their marketing offerings.
You might find it odd that I’m focusing my attention on the horse here, given my sculptures are about wildlife. Let me explain.
I sculpt what I love and have encounters with – which very much includes horses.
I was the weird kid in the playground pretending to be a horse, going home to draw horses in my bedroom surrounded by posters of … yes, horses. I’d giddily run to the post office to buy the latest issue of Pony magazine and spend every waking minute dreaming of having one of my own.
Sadly, that was never to be, so I got my horsey exposure from brushing the horses and ponies on a farm and at a riding school.
I’d fill my school workbooks with doodles of horses and save all my pocket money to buy models – most of which I still have.
I may not have had the real thing but I had Arabs, Thoroughbreds, Welsh and Shetland Ponies, Appaloosas and even an Akhal-Teke on my shelf.
Safe to say, horses are still a huge passion of mine, and whilst I have ridden in the past, it’s never been about the riding for me. It was simply about being around them.
Some of my fondest memories are of still moments in stables, gently stroking their neck while they rested their head on my shoulder, slowly getting heavier as they started to nod off.
They are a mirror to us – their eyes can see into our soul and reflect back who we are as a person. They know how fast your heart is racing from nearly a mile away. They communicate through the subtlest of gestures yet can be fierce and strong. They’re timid, prey animals yet they choose to spend time with humans and trust us.
There really is something magical about horses.
So whilst only some get to remain physically wild, their spirit always will be, and we are privileged to spend time in their presence.
Fire Horse
So I should introduce my very own fire horse.
I sculpted this horse bust to be cast in bronze. I wanted to capture that look that brings immediate joy – the curious, welcoming expression of a horse who has suddenly seen you and wants to say hello. The pricked ears and bright eyes suggest that they’re happy to see you – even if you’re a stranger to them.
Those who love horses can’t help themselves, we dish out kisses to these equine strangers like we’ve known them all our lives. There’s a deep love, connection and appreciation of close encounters of the horse kind, and the smell is pure aromatherapy.
They represent a safe space for me. A judgment-free place where I’m not ashamed to cry, speak of my fears, share my hopes and dreams and gratitude for their unconditional love. They see me for who I truly am and I will forever be grateful that I have a love for horses.
WHAT IS THE LUNAR YEAR OF THE HORSE?
On the 17th February 2026, the Chinese zodiac cycle moves into the Year of the Horse. It’s the start of a new Lunar Year (defined by moon phases rather than a date on a standard calendar.)
The Chinese Zodiac has 12 different animals, each of which has an element added to it (fire, wood, earth, metal, water) so there’s actually a cycle of 60. This year, 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse.
WHAT IS THE SYMBOLISM?
The horse is believed to bring with it optimism, growth and energy into the year.