2014 Year of the Wood Horse

It is time for our annual predictions based on the Chinese lunar calendar for 2014 Year of the Wood Horse.  As we predicted, the current 2013 Water Snake year has been about rich people holding on to their wealth and countries becoming increasingly isolationist and possessive.  In contrast to the internal focus of Snake years, Horse years are about energy, expansionism, military power, physical feats, and economic change.  Although Horse years can bring good luck and fortune, they require quick thinking and decisive action.  The time for planning and introspection will be over when the year of the Snake ends on February 3^rd, (a bit unique this year since the Chinese New Year is January 31^st). During a Horse year we must be ready to react quickly to keep pace with world events and changes.

We find it useful to review what happened 60 years ago, during the last Wood Horse year, to see how events may relate to today’s world.  In 1954, the previous Wood Horse year, the new, secretive Hydrogen bomb project expanded to above ground testing around the Pacific.  The 1954 Congress was attacked by four gunmen with semi-automatic pistols who shot into the US House of Representatives chamber from a balcony and wounded 5 congressmen while they were debating an immigration bill.  The Snake year McCarthyism created new laws in the 1954 Wood Horse year that made being a “communist” illegal, authorized harsh penalties for spies, and approved the CIA opening US mail.  It would not be surprising for the wikileaks, NSA leaks, and other secrecy issues of the 2013 Snake year to result in harsh, new laws in the 2014 Horse Year Congress.

Horse years bring economic growth and chaos.  Although the last Wood Horse year of 1954 saw the Dow Jones close higher than its peak before the 1929 crash, most recent Horse years have seen major stock market crashes.  In the Horse year of 2002 the stock market dealt with the dot-com bust and in the  Horse year of 1990 the stock market took a dive after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.   In the 1978 Horse year, a stock market crash of 22% one day in October came to be known as black Monday and caused a global stock market decline.  No one ever figured out what caused the panic, but protective measures were installed to prevent a repeat of the disaster.

Horse years are military power and transportation minded.  During the last Wood Horse year of 1954 the US Army created the first helicopter battalion, the US Air Force Academy opened, the B52 bomber, C-130 Transport, and Air Force One all had maiden flights.  During the last Horse year in 2002, Fossett made the first solo, non-stop flight around the world in a balloon.  We expect a year of military advancements in space, the formation of drone battalions, and faster vehicles of all types.  We expect to see military coups, the unrest the Middle East and Asia to expand, and rapid changes in world leaders.

Horses are energetic and physically strong and Horse years often break records in human feats.  During that last Wood Horse year in 1954, the four minute mile record was broken and new records achieved for the 5K and marathon.  During the 2002 Horse year, records were broken in baseball, football, cycling, and other sports, by many athletes now accused of using performance enhancement drugs. 

There are health issues associated with Horse years, in particular issues with the lungs.  Smog and contaminated air may become recognized as a world-wide health problem.  Excessive heat, cold, storms, and earthquakes are also common during Horse years.

Horse years bring focus to fairness, equality, and humanitarianism.  We think sexual rights will progress in the Horse year, much like race rights did in 1954 with the ending of segregated regiments in the military and the start of school desegregation.  The Humane Society was formed in 1954 during the last Wood Horse year. 

Horse years are focused on entertainment, communication, and sociability.  During the last Wood Horse year of 1954, Disneyland was announced and construction started; Disney’s TV show and the Tonight show hosted by Steve Allen were started; color TVs became more common in American homes; and the world’s largest mall opened in Michigan. During Horse years, people spend more money and time on entertainment and fun.

From the introspection and isolation of the 2013 Snake Year, the 2014 Horse Year will bring explosive energy, a fast pace, adventure, unique forms of communication, and a focus on fun.