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Compatibility
Capricorn Horse and Pisces Rat

firstwest and secondwest provide this relationship with a naturally pleasurable and dependable influence—an important counterbalance to the arresting but often fiercely combative tension of the firsteast and secondeast combination.

Western Zodiac sign, Capricorn
Western Zodiac sign, Pisces

Western Zodiac

Capricorn and Pisces

Compatibility overview

This calm and supportive energy is one of the treasures of the Western zodiac. The combination of firstwest and secondwest has an understated quality, usually more in the manner of a trusted confidant than Romeo and Juliet. However, the energy these two share has boundless potential for encouragement, kindness, and reliability.

Capricorn and Pisces - Relationship Horoscope

Read more about the CAPRICORN and PISCES zodiac signs...

Read more about the CAPRICORN HORSE and PISCES RAT combined zodiac signs...

An interval of two steps around the Western zodiac wheel, as there is between Capricorn and Pisces, forms a Sextile connection. This famously relaxed, nurturing energy means these two typically enjoy a shared freedom from tension or constraints from the very beginning.

Capricorn's patient commitment to achieve mastery in their chosen field holds a visceral appeal for the wise, sensitive Pisces. Capricorn's intuition for power means they have a rare appreciation for the diplomatic and caring side of Pisces' nature, as well as the depth of insight and hard work Pisces can provide when they are comfortable. The elements here—Earth for Capricorn and Water for Pisces—are reliably harmonious, lending themselves to natural dependence and co-existence. The modalities are equally compatible. Capricorn is a Cardinal sign, an always-beginning energy synonymous with ideas and projects at their most pure and formative, while Pisces' Mutable nature brings a reflective emphasis on consequences, effects, and implications. Hence these two are extremely effective collaborators. In an easygoing atmosphere balancing good humor with comfortable silences, Capricorn contributes perseverance and astuteness, while Pisces brings perception and empathy.

Predictably for a Sextile coupling, both these signs usually retain a strong sense of their individual identity. This is often a relationship that these two can return to as regularly or infrequently as they choose, safe in the knowledge that the warmth and encouragement they share will be just as dependable as ever. In fact, if there is a qualification for Capricorn and Pisces, it is that the energy between them can be too relaxed at times. Affection here is more gently protective than intense or passionate, meaning this connection can sometimes be taken for granted or not prioritized. Capricorn and Pisces may find the very lack of pressure between them causes them to take a back seat in each other's lives, even when that might not be the path most conducive to their shared happiness.

On the plus side, the natural flexibility of this energy means it is capable of narrowing or widening as circumstances require. In whatever context, and however much or little time these two signs spend together, there is every chance the dependable qualities of reassurance, motivation, and tenderness will enrich both of their lives.

Celebrity Capricorn/Pisces Pairings*

*Click on the names to see both Western and Chinese zodiac matches for that pairing.

Cheryl and Ron Howard
Cheryl and Ron Howard (click for attribution/s)

Cheryl Howard (12/23/1953, Capricorn Snake), Ron Howard (3/1/1954, Pisces Horse) : The actor/director and actor met in high school. They have been married since 1975 and have four children. Howard has described: "People say, ‘How’d you do it?’ There’s no technique. There’s no tactic other than communication is really important. You have to learn to communicate and have difficult conversations in constructive ways. Beyond that, there’s an element of luck because people either grow together or they don’t and I don’t think you can force that."

Rod Stewart (1/10/1945, Capricorn Monkey), Penny Lancaster (3/15/1971, Pisces Pig) : The singer and model have been married for 14 years and have two children. Stewart has described: "Intimacy is the most important thing in a relationship. Don't take it for granted. I'm not talking about sex, but a kiss and a cuddle and a hold. Penny and I do that every morning. We hug each other — sometimes in bed, sometimes out of bed, all throughout the day. It's a wonderful relationship."

Cary and Jennifer Grant
Cary and Jennifer Grant (click for attribution/s)

Cary Grant (1/18/1904, Capricorn Rabbit), Jennifer Grant (2/26/1966, Pisces Horse) : The two actors were father and daughter. At one time one of the most famous actors in the world, Cary Grant famously retired from acting in 1966, after Jennifer was born, to devote himself to her upbringing. In her book, Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant, Jennifer describes: "To me, [my father] was like a marvelous painting. All the art historians wish to break down the motives, and the scheme, and so on. I would rather know, as I do, his essence. I believe that at the heart of a person lies passion. For the last twenty years of his life, I was given the extraordinary privilege to experience the full, vital passion of his heart. Dad used the expression 'good stuff' to declare happiness or, as one of his friends put it, he said it when pleased with the nature of things. He said it a lot. He had a happy way of life. His life was 'good stuff.'"

Mary Tyler Moore (12/29/1936, Capricorn Rat), Bernadette Peters (2/28/1948, Pisces Rat) : The two actors were close friends before Moore's death in 2017. Together, they co-founded Broadway Barks, an annual dog and cat adoption event benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. About vacationing together, Peters described: "Mary was always the planner. Mary was always the one who would say, ‘We wanna go to the Bahamas, and we're gonna swim with the dolphins.' She was the one that always came up with the ideas and the adventures and things to do. Life was precious to her, and she knew if she kept moving that was healthy for her."

Niki Lauda and Lewis Hamilton
Niki Lauda and Lewis Hamilton (click for attribution/s)

Lewis Hamilton (1/7/1985, Capricorn Rat), Niki Lauda (2/22/1949, Pisces Ox) : The two Formula One world champions became close friends, after Lauda was instrumental in luring Hamilton to drive for his Mercedes team in 2013. Speaking after Lauda's death in 2019, Hamilton described: "I just so miss talking to the dude, I miss his texts, the videos we shared. I still have them. I’ve kept them and still revisit them. Without his support I probably wouldn’t have made the switch to come to this team...That’s what he was best at – support and being real...To have someone talking to the [Formula One] board who understands and empathises how difficult it is to deliver weekend after weekend, when you make a mistake. That is where he was such a great pillar for me...When he took his hat off [in salute to an achievement in the car] or he goes like this [the finger/thumb gesture indicating something very close to a skirting disaster limit], you knew it was real, that you’d really done something. I miss him a lot."

James Earl Jones (1/17/1931, Capricorn Horse), Cecilia Hart (2/19/1948, Pisces Rat) : The two actors were married from 1982 until Hart's death in 2016, and had one child together. Receiving a Lifetime Achievement award at the Tony awards in 2017, Jones said: "I want to thank my wife Ceci for being such a wonderful companion in my life and in my work. And for being the great coproducer of our son Flynn and for being so dazzling on the red carpet."

Lou Reed and David Bowie
Lou Reed and David Bowie (click for attribution/s)

David Bowie (1/8/1947, Capricorn Dog), Lou Reed (3/2/1942, Pisces Horse) : The two legendary musicians were friends who collaborated multiple times, including when Bowie co-produced (with Mick Ronson) Reed's landmark album, Transformer. Reed described in 2004: "How can I remember my first impression of David Bowie? That’s really… [smiles] Okay… I mean, David and I are friends to this day. He’s very smart and very, very talented, and I met him in New York and thought, ‘This guy would be a fun guy to work with; we could really bring something to the dance.’"

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Chinese Zodiac sign, the Horse
Chinese Zodiac sign, the Rat

Chinese Zodiac

Horse and Rat

Compatibility overview

Western astrology is generally more forgiving of potential discord than its Chinese counterpart. Unfortunately, the match between the firsteast and the secondeast has a reputation for seriously destabilizing energy. This can produce a myriad of conflicts. The prognosis is not all negative, however. For as unsettling as it can be for the parties themselves, this match-up is capable of generating some awesomely powerful impacts.

Horse and Rat - Relationship Horoscope

Read more about the HORSE and RAT zodiac signs...

Read more about the CAPRICORN HORSE and PISCES RAT combined zodiac signs...

Facing each other diametrically across the Chinese zodiac wheel are the six infamous Opposite combinations. Traditionally, these matches are understood to involve nearly constant and irreconcilable tension. In the case of the Horse and the Rat, the dashing independence of the former collides with the latter's calculating cleverness.

The Horse is perhaps the sign with the greatest need for freedom. It is almost impossible for them to feel comfortable if they sense they are being controlled. The Rat, on the other hand, is a profoundly social, romantic creature. Their inner fulfilment depends on closeness to others and being able to use their strategic skills to promote their own interests and those close to them. A combination of the Horse and Rat thus tends to produce a vicious circle where both are constantly on edge. The Horse can feel restricted and manipulated, where the Rat feels abandoned, vulnerable, and unappreciated.

Recurrent problems are especially a feature of love affairs. The old adage about opposites attracting can draw these two together initially, and strong sexual tension is not unexpected. But eventually the Horse's craving for independence is likely to lead to withdrawal or selfishness. The neglected Rat may become increasingly needy and could even turn to scheming against the distant, aloof Horse.

Characteristically for Opposite matches, however, the troublesome aspects of this energy can generate extraordinarily potent results. Imagine partner stand-ups, where the force of two people pushing backwards into each other propels them upward. Because the Horse and Rat have so little in common, any kind of collaboration, alliance, even feud, that brings them together benefits from a complete spectrum of energy. The potential for capturing attention or generating triumphs of innovation is virtually unlimited.

To be sure, the partnership may prove too combative for the parties themselves to really enjoy each other's successes. But with soothing influences on the Western side, or earnest mutual understanding, these two may be able to profit admirably from the powerful, if conflictive, energy that unites them.

Celebrity Horse/Rat Pairings*

*Click on the names to see both Western and Chinese zodiac matches for that pairing.

Robin Wright and Sean Penn
Robin Wright and Sean Penn (click for attribution/s)

Sean Penn (8/17/1960, Leo Rat), Robin Wright (4/8/1966, Aries Horse) : The two actors shared an on-off relationship from 1989 to 1995 and had two children together. After separating in 1995, they reconciled and married in 1996. They filed for divorce in 2007, reconciled again for a time, and finally divorced in 2010. Penn said in 2018, "[We] don't have a lot of conversation...We don’t not get along. We have very separate relationships with our kids at this point and it seems to work better that way because they are making their own decisions. As it turned out she and I did not share the same ethical views on parenting, including the continuing parenting of adult children."

David Duchovny (8/7/1960, Leo Rat), Téa Leoni (2/25/1966, Pisces Horse) : The two actors married in 1997 and had two children together. They separated in 2008 before Duchovny received treatment for sex addiction. After reuniting for a time, they divorced in 2014. Leoni has described: "David gave me the two greatest gifts on the planet; I don't know how I could ever hate him...I'm not playing stupid—I understand feelings can get hurt and things can get icky. We've had our moments like that. But these kids are too important, and he feels the same way."

Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant
Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant (click for attribution/s)

Carmelo Anthony (5/29/1984, Gemini Rat), Kobe Bryant (8/23/1978, Virgo Horse) : These US basketball legends shared an amicable but heated on-court rivalry, especially during the 2009 Western Conference Finals. Anthony has described: "You know Kob, man, he going at your neck. He’s saying [expletive] to you, elbowing you. I had my braids back then too, so he’s touching my head. I’m like, 'What the [expletive] are you doing? Don’t touch my head.' You know what I’m saying? Like, 'Don’t touch me no more, dawg.'" When the pair faced each other, they would embrace and say, "It's war."

Jennifer Garner (4/17/1972, Aries Rat), Halle Berry (8/14/1966, Leo Horse) : The two actors testified together before a California State Assembly Committee about the need for their children to be legally protected from the paparazzi. Berry said at one point, "We're moms here, just trying to protect our children."

Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas
Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas (click for attribution/s)

Clarence Thomas (6/23/1948, Cancer Rat), Sonia Sotomayor (6/25/1954, Cancer Horse) : These US Supreme Court judges have starkly different reputations. However, while alluding to conflicts about judicial business, Sotomayor has spoken of the friendship between them: "I see in [Thomas] the basic caring about people that I have. We are both committed friends and committed family members. And so, in seeing that good in him, there is no reason for me to take our personal disputes and translate it into our personal interactions. We work together. We have to work together for the rest of our time on the court."

Marlon Brando (4/3/1924, Aries Rat), James Dean (2/8/1931, Aquarius Horse) : There have been rumours that these two actors shared a disturbing intimate relationship, with Brando attempting to dominate Dean in various ways. What is more certain is that Dean idolized Brando, copying his choices of motorcycle and bongo-playing hobby, while Brando made publicly disparaging comments about Dean. "Mr. Dean appears to be wearing my last year's wardrobe and using my last year's talent," is one quote attributed to Brando; "I gave [Dean] the name of a psycho-analyst and he went. At least his work improved," is another.


Combined Relationship Horoscope

Final Words

The energy between firstwest and secondwest reflects their Sextile aspect—in almost any context, they are likely to be trusted allies, sharing easygoing humor and having each other’s backs through thick and thin. Here, though, the influence on the Chinese zodiac side tells a very different story, for the firsteast and the secondeast are true Opposites, often locked in an explosive cycle of difference and conflict. There is real potential here—the firsteast and secondeast can be wildly successful if they manage to unite in common enterprise—but it may be essential to focus on the peaceable effects of the firstwest/secondwest match to achieve stability.

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