L180xW80xH180mm, China

Welcome to the Year of the Horse!

The Chinese Zodiac works in a 12 years cycle, each represented by a different animal.  These 12 animals goes in the order

Rat -> Ox -> Tiger ->
Rabbit ->Dragon -> Snake ->
Horse -> Goat -> Monkey ->
Rooster -> Dog -> Pig

and then back to the Rat again.

On Chinese New Year (31st Jan 2014) begins the Year of the Horse.
It is quite easy to work out one’s zodiac animal, snake is 2013, goat is 2015 and back to the horse again in 2026.  So it is also easy for someone to work out your age too, for the ladies who don’t want to tell everyone your age, when you are prompt with the question what is your Chinese zodiac sign, you can always say that you are a Cat…

According to the legend, the Jade Emperor has a Flying Horse that he adores.  The Flying Horse was full of himself, one day he went fooling around at the Dragon palace, he killed the Turtle Saint who came to stopped him.  When the news traveled back to the Jade Emperor and the Flying Horse was punished with his wings cut off and press under the Kun Lun mountain.  The poor Horse was all alone under the mountain until 200 years later when the human walked passed, the Horse swept and said, “please help me, kind human, in return I will work hard for you.”  Out of pity, the human cut down the peach tree that was on top of the mountain and the Horse was released.  A bond was developed between the two species, the Horse became a carriage for the human, paired up and went to war.  When the selection for the zodiac animals came up, the human voted for the Horse.

For the Year of the Horse, we have a horsey toy made of cotton felt.