2026: Year of the horse

This is the year of the horse which is introduced on Tuesday February 17th. In our region of Alaska, horses reign and enrich our world in many ways. Palmer and surrounding area has well over one thousand horses although it is hard to document a firm number. Horse doctors and feed stores have good estimates but none are complete and no number is either accurate nor verified. Let’s just skip the demographics and say we are lucky there are many horses, and many horse enthusiasts, in the Palmer area. There is a huge comprehensive list of Alaska Equine Resources on websites but we are focusing on our local horses.

Varieties—Rodeo horses, Pack horses, Show horses, Trail horses, Breeding horses, Parade horses, Farm and ranch horses, Race horses, Team horses, FAA horses, 4-H horses, Military horses, Barrel Racers, Trainer horses, Jumper Horses, Cattle horses, Hauling horses, Therapy Horses, Pleasure riding and personal use horses, Brood Mares, Colts, Fillies, Foals, Stallions, Mares, and Ponies.

Farms—There are a variety of boarding and teaching stables and farms in Palmer. So many are well loved and treasured destinations for young people to learn horsemanship animal care, compassion, leadership, patience, and talented competitive skills. These places offer horse camps, riding lessons, trick riding, and drill team practice. Our Little Farm, Flying Farm, Lucky 2 Shoes Equestrians, Sunderland Ranch are just four of the many stables. Check online for a full listing.

Flavors—There are the dynamic, magnificent Percherons and the stubborn yet adorable Minis. Belgians, Clydesdale, American Cream, Shires and Spotted are the draft horse which can stand 18 hands and weigh 1800 pounds. Google suggests the most popular are the American Quarter Horse, the spirited Arabian, the racing-famous Thoroughbred, the distinctive spotted Appaloosa, the colorful American Paint Horse, the hardy Mustang, the elegant Friesian, the multipurpose Morgan, the smooth-gaited Tennessee Walking Horse, and athletic Warmbloods.

2026 is Year of the Fire Horse—This is all associated fully with the Chinese Lunar New Year and the Zodiac of animals and elements. It is an ancient study of lining up animals and their qualities. Basically the year of the horse is energetic, full of change, full of purpose, sometimes chaotic, amplified and strong The last year of the Horse was 1966; I was in grammar school but I remember the premiere of Star Trek, new Color TV, and the spacecraft Gemini 8. Prior years were 1906 when the very first radio broadcast happened (hello? hello? hello?) and 1846 when the very first saxophone was invented and Planet Neptune was discovered! All of these events are major and we can expect equally important and energetic events in 2026!

Palmer Year of the Horse Predictions—Both downtown Palmer Parades will go wonderfully this year with lots of horsie participation. The France Equestrian Center at the Fairgrounds will become a highly desired destination because of the high usage and horse popularity. There will be big changes and raw energy surrounding Palmer’s devotion to quality of life issues. Large creativity peaks will occur in the music, art and entrepreneurial world. Wise counsel will be provided by local city and faith leaders. Generosity and peace, always the goal of all, will make itself known daily by entire community. Because of the thrilling and amplified horse energy, double check your impulses, watch your temper, and strive for harmony instead of discord. It is very important to help your neighbor and pick up trash in our community. And try to contain the smarty pants and sarcastic attitudes of meaningless political rhetoric and blame gaming.

Grateful Goodbye to the Year of the Snake—It is wonderful to be shedding the skin of 2025’s snake year. It was dark and long filled with bad habits and hasty decisions. Climatically it was quietly terrifying although we adapted the best we could. Drama ran high and tolerance faltered frequently in 2025. We are glad it is over.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222