On Tuesday, 17 February 2026, around 2 billion people will celebrate the start of a lunar new year. The lunar calendar marks each year with one of 12 animals, and 2026 moves from the Year of the Snake – a biodiversity hero in its own right – to that of the horse.  

Horses have quietly shaped their environments for more than 50 million years and accompanied human development for the past 4 millennia. Every July, these creatures are honored on World Horse Day, and this year is also the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, recognizing specific types of communities and ecosystems that have been critically supported by horses.

Horses are ecosystem engineers

Horses improve the environment for other species – if managed sustainably

Horses are resilience in action

Horses are stronger together

Lunar Year of the Horse: Four environmental lessons we can learn from equines