At last! The beginning of the REAL new year! The alleged “new year” encompassing January 1 through Feb 16 didn’t count. It can’t count. It was too dismal and harrowing. Too much inclement weather — physically and psychologically. It very much felt like a continuation of most of 2025.
Lucky for us, there exists the beautiful Lunar New Year so that we can try, try again. By the way, if there’s a slow start out of the gate starting today, it doesn’t mean the race is lost! It’s so cloudy and tired today, at the time of this writing. I’m having a sort of realism about possibilities. A realism about the Huppo being a hibernating animal. But we shouldn’t drag our feet past mid-March, when Spring begins. Let’s be up and at ’em by then.
Year of the Horse! That’s what we are beginning now. I never did write my informational article about the Chinese Zodiac, so I will give you a little summary here:
There are twelve animals that span twelve year cycles: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Dog, Rooster, and Pig. Those twelve animals cycle through five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. Completing that takes 60 years. Excitingly, that means there are earth sheep and metal rats and wooden pigs, etc. Also excitingly: knowing which animal year you were born in lets you know everything you need to know about yourself, other people your own age, and I guess how the world will be going for that year? You can even use this knowledge for purposes of Feng Shui: Decorating Your Home For Abundance & Luck. It’s all very complicated. For once, I am not an expert nor will I dare to pretend to be.
2026 happens to be the Year of the Fire Horse. Anyone who knows anything about horses knows that this very clearly means that now we are in the actual Year of Secretariat — the fieriest horse that ever was. Not in temperament! But in fantastic ways that I will use the rest of this serious essay to explain.
Secretariat: THE Fire Horse
Secretariat is one of the most vibrant, dynamic, and passionate individual horses in the Sport of Kings. He stood out as a being of pure ambition, enthusiasm, and galloping. In the Chinese Zodiac, Fire signs are often associated with confidence and a love for being in the spotlight, and make no mistake — that’s exactly describing this incredible horse. A horse so inspirational that we canonized him in our own religion.
Ol’ Big Red had ruddy and glowing complexion with a neigh that carried easily. He was robust despite the endless running he engaged in. Always in a rush to the finish line, he zipped by all the other horses without a trace of uncertainty. Even though Sham tried to challenge him, it is reported that Secretariat never held a grudge and expected the same from his opponent. Whether or not that’s true is lost in the mists of time.
Charismatic, this saintly Fire Horse was in control of his life — more than most horses get to be. He was the embodiment of an ambitious competitor, even though he outclassed them all. Racing was important for him and insisted that he showed himself to be the best. The rare losses he suffered were devastating for him.
But as briefly mentioned: the animals and their elements color the mood of an entire year! This here Year of the Big Red Tremendous Machine will have Secretariat atmosophere throughout. This is meant to be a year that rewards courage and movement. The pace will be fast, but you will be able to break records that will stand for 50 years and more. It’s a year that is conducive to exceeding challenges and achieving what seems like should be The Impossible. This is exciting news for individuals, and also for society as a whole.
If you’re planning a to start a business, move across the country or world, write a controversial exposé, or are thinking about trampling your existing toxic relationships into the ground, among many other possibilities, they say this is the year to do so successfully.
It’s a Saint Secretariat guarantee!