Kansas Carradine and Dude performing at Lassos with Love
Do you remember those childhood days when you’d visit a Chinese restaurant, and the placemats featured the Chinese Zodiac signs? While waiting for your wonton soup, you’d spend time figuring out which animal represented you based on your birth year. I remember being disappointed that I was a Wood Dragon, unlike my mom who was a Metal Horse. We at Connected Horse are looking forward to welcoming the sign of the Fire Horse on February 17, 2026. We are hoping it truly is a time of positive action and connection.
According to the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Fire Horse is associated with compassion, courage, and forward movement. Fire brings warmth and illumination; the horse brings strength, freedom, and an innate sensitivity to the world around it. Together, they symbolize a powerful invitation to act with heart, purpose, and connection.
At Connected Horse, these qualities are not abstract ideas—they are lived experiences.
Horses are deeply attuned beings. They respond to presence, emotion, and intention, offering honest feedback without judgment. In our programs, including people living with dementia, family care partners, professionals, and community members are welcomed just as they are. There is no pressure to perform, remember, or explain. Instead, there is space to be—to feel grounded, calm, and connected in relationship with the horse, with nature, and with one another.
The Fire Horse reminds us that healing does not always come from slowing down life, but from reigniting connection and self-awareness. A gentle nuzzle, shared laughter, the rhythm of brushing a horse, or standing quietly together in the pasture can spark joy and spark ideas and memories stored beyond words. These moments matter. They restore dignity, agency, and a sense of belonging.
This year also calls us to bold compassion—to challenge stigma around aging and dementia, to find expanded purpose for horses, especially the unwanted horse, and to expand access to therapeutic, nature-based experiences regardless of income, diagnosis, or background. Like the Fire Horse, Connected Horse continues to move forward with intention, partnering with communities, caregivers, and organizations to create inclusive spaces where well-being is shared between people and horses.
As we step into the Year of the Fire Horse, we are reminded that true strength lies in relationship, that courage can be gentle, and that joy is a powerful force for well-being. Together—with our horses, our participants, our volunteers, and our partners—we are carrying this energy forward, one meaningful connection at a time.
May this year be one of warmth, movement, and renewed purpose for all of us.
