The Horse (午) is the seventh animal of the twelve zodiac animals, and it cycles in order of "Metal Horse (庚午)," "Water Horse (壬午)," "Wood Horse (甲午)," "Fire Horse (丙午)," and "Earth Horse (戊午)." Horse Hours are from 11 o'clock in the morning to 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The Horse guards the direction due west. Horse Month is May of the lunar calendar. In terms of appearance, the horse gives a strong impression: fresh liveliness, fast adaptation, resilient muscles, smooth and firm physique, luscious mane, keratinous hoofs, and wild breaths. Such characteristics can be found in countless works of art, such as primitive arts, ancient tomb arts, earthenware, earthen figurines, and murals. Stories such as mythical tales, legends, folklores, proverbs, poems, and songs on horses have been told and transmitted orally, and many folk religions and activities are still being performed today. This only shows just how close Koreans and their life and cultures were with horses.

The image of a horse found in relics in the shape of a horse or its leg or a mounted horse found in ancient tombs of the Gaya and Silla dynasties and tomb murals from the Goguryeo dynasty can be understood as the buried and his soul riding the horse, which was the medium connecting this world and the otherworld. Although earthenware, figurines, and "Painting of the Heavenly Horse" might have used different expression methods, the purpose of the burial and ideology was thought to be the same. In funeral ceremonies, a horse was a contribution to the buried, who would ride the horse to the nether world. Both "Samgukyusa (三國遺事, the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms)" and "Samguksagi (三國史記, the History of the Three Kingdoms)" recorded that horses were sacred animals or godly existence. When founding monarchs of the Korean kingdoms, such as King Gemwa, Bak Hyeokgeose, and Jumong, were born, the horse was part of their auspicious signs; or when the Baekje kingdom collapsed, a horse appeared to prophesy a portentous sign. The legend of Back Hyeokgeose and "Painting of the Heavenly Horse" gave the horse a supremely high status reserved for ancestor gods. Later, such horse was ridden by a groom, a young man, a lover, a pathfinder, a strong man and the like in ancient novels, prose, and folk songs throughout history. In Korean seasonal customs, the horse was one of six important livestock, and ceremonial rites were performed on the last day of January and on the last day of October in the lunar calendar to commemorate the horse god.

Some regions in Korea today still have the horse in the form of statue or painting or enshrined in local shrines. The Horse was thought of as being ridden by guardian gods of the village or was enshrined to prevent catastrophe against tigers (虎患). The Horse was an offering to pray for the success of caldron or pottery factories or was enshrined as the subject of worship. Horses have also been part of representative folk customs-meet-recreations, like "Gyeokgu" or Korean traditional polo, "Masangje (馬上祭) Ritual," and "Yakmahi (躍馬戱) Ritual" to entertain local gods. In daily life, the usage of horses developed from practical economic activities such as transportation and hunting to military and political purposes to promote domination and conquest. From the Unified ridden by guardian gods of the village or was enshrined to prevent catastrophe against tigers (虎患). The Horse was an offering to pray for the success of caldron or pottery factories or was enshrined as the subject of worship. Horses have also been part of representative folk customs-meet-recreations, like "Gyeokgu" or Korean traditional polo, "Masangje (馬上祭) Ritual," and "Yakmahi (躍馬戱) Ritual" to entertain local gods. In daily life, the usage of horses developed from practical economic activities such as transportation and hunting to military and political purposes to promote domination and conquest. From the Unified Silla dynasty to the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, the horse was utilized in various sectors: as labor horses in agriculture; as material in arts and crafts; as military horses in transportation; and as post horses in communication. These days, except for specific areas, tourist zones, and racing tracks, horses are hard to find; note, however, that the image of horses lives on in the minds of contemporary Koreans as it has been continuously used as the symbolic image of corporations or products. In that regard, though the expression of horses may vary per era, their very symbolism still remains in life in Korea.