Chinese Zodiac
The Horse

The seventh sign in the Eastern zodiac is the dazzling Horse. (Legend has it that fear of a cemetery caused the Horse to slow to a snail's pace during the Jade Emperor's race.) The Horse is by nature a performer: bewitching, idealistic, and fearless. Skilled orators with energy to burn, Horse natives are comfortable in any role where they are free to captivate an audience, from sports to the theater to politics. Above all else, the Horse craves independence. These free spirits are famously more intellectual than emotional. Indeed, they can occasionally be accused of insensitivity or selfishness. But given physical and emotional freedom to indulge their expansive personalities, they can be breathtaking performers, inspirational rebels, or—like that most famous of Horses, James Dean—both.

In the middle ground, with plenty of potential but some reticence, are signs from the Trine Families that the Horse does not share a direct connection with. These include the Rooster and Snake, and the Dragon and Monkey. The Chinese zodiac makes some harsh judgements about unfavorable energy connections. For the Horse, these are their Opposition sign, the Rat, and their Adversary, the Ox.