It’s 2026 and we’re celebrating the new year, but there’s something else to feel festive about — according to the Chinese zodiac calendar, it’s the year of the horse! In order to properly celebrate you’re going to need some new horse songs to get you feeling wild and free. As a certified horse girl, I’m here to help out with this extremely important and necessary exploration into six songs that will resonate with a majestic horse like yourself.

“My Barn My Rules” by MCR-T & horsegiirL

If you’re the type of horse that likes to go out to the club to toss your mane, then this song is for you. MCR-T is a German DJ and producer that collaborated with horsegiirL on the EP “Farm Fantasies” resulting in three dance/pop songs that stay true to horsegiirL’s persona (fursona?). HorsegiirL is an accomplished DJ that forces her audience to ask how a horse learned how to do that. She keeps her identity a secret and has only been seen wearing a horsemask in public. Her team even goes as far as to ask interviewers to sign an “NDNeigh” to not reveal any identifying features about her. It’s impossible not to embody the spirit of the horse when listening to this song, especially if you’re looking for something to remind you of how amazing your horse qualities are.

“Horses in My Dreams” by PJ Harvey

Even though being a horse is as amazing as it seems, sometimes horses get sad and that’s ok. When they do, they probably listen to “Horses in My Dreams” by the English musician PJ Harvey. Countering the heavy and dark guitar, the lyrics allude to the feeling of freedom that horses naturally emanate. “Horses in my dreams/Like waves, like the sea/They pull out of here/They pull, they are free.” The album that the song calls its home, “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea” is somewhat popular amongst fans of the early 2000s music scene, and while there might be horses in PJ Harvey’s dreams, this song is a dream for horses.

“Wild Horses” by Prefab Sprout

Glittery and dreamy, this song tells the story of a man’s attempt to catch wild horses. “Through the rails/ I spied your pony tail/I tried with sugar cubes/And they’re ok/But I don’t think I’ll catch you that way.” Prefab Sprout was founded in 1978 by Paddy and Martin McAloon. The music that the band creates is distinctly weird in the best way possible, and their album “Jordan: The Comeback” is a 19 track-long adventure for the listener. What’s the point of having wild horses when you can be the wild horse instead?

“Great Big Horse” by Truman Sinclair

If you’re trying to embody your truest horse-self in 2026, it’s important to realize that horses are too big to hide. For the new year, it’s time to show up and stand out, an overarching theme in the song from Sinclair’s most recent album, “American Recordings.” The album is a tribute to the folk genre with a contemporary spin, providing Sinclair with an outlet for his struggles with the current U.S. climate and his pinning for connection through community. In an interview with magazine The Line of Best Fit, he said, “You’re just a little thing that holds one piece of air and the next together and you’ve just got to do your best to be a good steward of the space you take up.”

“Two Horses” by Black Country, New Road

Black Country, New Road’s latest album, “Forever Howlong” is an orchestral story that feels like a collection of poems expertly put to music. “Two Horses” is no different, with the lyrics providing a challenge to be interpreted in a million different ways. “Have I finally found a man to lean on?/Will you help me and my horses on my way/through night and day?” BCNR have been expanding into a new frontier since the absence of their previous front man Issac Wood. Impressively, they seem to have been able to retain their previous allure, while exploring what shape the band will take as they embark on new journeys. For horses, it’s always the right time to try new things and fearlessly pursue new ideas and creativities.

“Horses” by Yung Lean

Yung Lean has been carving out his own space in the music industry for almost a decade now, but his newest album “Jonaton” is something else entirely. “Horses” uses the common metaphor of the animal as a representation of the feeling of resisting being tied down to any one thing. “Wish that I could stay but I got to leave/Baby, you know a wild horse got to run free, run free/All dreams come alive then die/I smell the wind of change inside.” It seems fitting that this year, we embody that same freedom that the musician sees in wild horses.

As we start gaining momentum into the new year, many choose to reflect on who they have been and who they will choose to become. If you’re feeling lost or stuck, maybe the year of the horse is for you. Although it might seem a bit silly to compare yourself to an animal, maybe try it before you reject the lifestyle. Whatever path you take, K-Ute is wishing you a happy new year full of friends, family and good music.

Listen to our “Year of the Horse,” playlist here.