2026 Lunar New Year Horse Mascot: Prioritizing 'spirit' over size.

In the pottery workshop, horses gradually take shape through clay, fire, and the hands of the craftsmen, carrying with them the belief in a prosperous and successful new year.

Emerging from the kiln, the Horse figure gradually hardened, retaining its original shape and details.

As the Lunar New Year 2026 approaches, pottery workshops in Bat Trang village ( Hanoi ) are entering the peak production season for zodiac animal figurines.

From a handful of earth to the shape of the Horse.

Having been involved in pottery for over 21 years, Pham Duc Dung (42 years old, owner of Pham Dung pottery workshop, Hamlet 2, Bat Trang commune, Hanoi) approaches the creation of mascots with considerable caution. For him, mascots are not simply seasonal products for Tet (Lunar New Year), but rather animals that must possess the "charm" to embody the beliefs of the new year.

2026 is the Year of the Horse, and for Dung, the horse is not just the animal of the year, but an image that evokes movement and positive energy. Therefore, he respectfully calls the mascot he created: Mr. Horse.

"Horses symbolize progress. I want that when people place a horse figurine in their home, they see a direction and feel a sense of moving forward," Dung shared.

Mr. Pham Duc Dung meticulously assembles each detail of the horse. This process requires concentration and attention to detail to ensure accuracy and capture the essence of the mascot - Photo: P. Tai

According to Mr. Dung, the most difficult part of creating a horse statue is concretizing the idea right from the initial design stage. This part alone takes nearly three months to refine and test.

The horse mascot is designed in a purely Vietnamese style, from its proportions to its patterns. The horse is 38cm tall and 42cm long, its dimensions calculated according to the Lu Ban ruler, falling within the auspicious range for wealth and prosperity. Beneath the horse's feet is a pattern depicting the four seasons: pine, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and plum blossom, while the saddle features motifs in the style of the Ly-Tran dynasties.

Once the mold is complete, Mr. Ngua begins the journey from clay to form. In the first stage, pouring, Mr. Bui Van Kiem (46 years old, from Hung Yen ), a long-time worker at the workshop, is the one directly in charge.

The clay is mixed, the water ratio and other components are adjusted to achieve the correct consistency, and then it is poured into the mold. For the horse mascot mold, the time from pouring to removing the mold is about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

"This is the crucial step in shaping the product right from the start. If you remove it too early, the horse's body will be thin; if you remove it too late, it will be thick, heavy, and easily lose its shape. When removing the mold, you have to take it piece by piece, gently, otherwise the legs will break or the body will crack," Mr. Kiem said.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, Bat Trang pottery village (Hanoi) enters its peak production season for products featuring zodiac animals - Photo: P. TAI

After the mold is created, Mr. Dung returns to the assembly stage. Each detail, such as the legs, mane, tail, saddle, and bridle, is assembled by hand. According to Mr. Dung, even a small misalignment of a detail can cause the product to tilt or crack when fired in the kiln.

"The essence of the horse isn't about size, but about its posture and gaze. I chose a pose with its hooves flailing forward, so every detail has to be perfect. Looking at it, you have to see movement, true to its name, 'Horse Welcoming Good Fortune'," he said.

After the shaping is complete, the first firing step takes place. In this stage, the horse figurine is fired for the first time at approximately 500 degrees Celsius to create sufficient hardness, making it suitable for glazing and painting. Once out of the kiln, the horse figurine is transferred to the painting stage, which is handled by Ms. Nguyen Kim Hue , a painter from Bat Trang.

"The horse has many small details like the reins, patterns, pine trees, dragons... The colors must be even and in the right place for the glaze to look beautiful," Ms. Hue shared.

Before reaching the customer, each Horse figurine must go through about 10 stages, twice in the kiln, completing the entire journey from clay to fire in about seven days.

In the first few batches, Mr. Dung constantly encountered problems, especially in the process of forming the base and applying the glaze. Even a slight misplacement of the pouring or uneven assembly could cause the product to tilt, crack, or shrink in the kiln.

The first batch of 50 horse figurines delivered to the customer had 10 defective products, and the next batch had another 15 defective products. Only when the kiln finally opened and the batch met the standards did Mr. Dung truly breathe a sigh of relief. From an initial plan to make around 500 horse figurines, Pham Dung's workshop gradually increased production to nearly 700 products.

Ms. Nguyen Kim Hue focuses intensely on each brushstroke on the horse's body. Even a small deviation can distort or erase the pattern when the glaze is applied and the horse is fired again. - Photo: P. Tai

When the horse mascot enters the market

According to observations in Bat Trang, the market for Tet (Lunar New Year) mascots in 2026 is shifting. Instead of focusing on size or quantity, many pottery workshops are investing more in the shape, craftsmanship, and meaning of their products.

Buyers have also changed their selection criteria, paying more attention to the mascot's demeanor and the craftsman's signature.

Mr. Nguyen Ha (55 years old, a ceramics buyer from Hanoi) said that he came to Bat Trang not to find a large mascot, but to choose one that could be displayed for a long time.

"It should look soulful and evoke a sense of peace. Horses are animals that can be displayed year-round, so their posture and demeanor are very important," Mr. Ha said.

The finished ceramic horse has a powerful, rearing posture, with the saddle and body details clearly showing the glaze color. All of this creates a majestic horse mascot, full of courage and strength, moving forward. - Photo: P. TAI

Besides the shape, the glaze is also a factor that buyers care about. According to pottery shop owners, customers often ask detailed questions about the glaze color, depth, and durability, rather than just looking at the price.

"Price is no longer the only deciding factor. Customers are more selective; some even return several times before making a purchase," a shop owner shared.

For large orders, the transportation of the mascots is also given special attention by the pottery workshops. Due to their intricate details such as legs, heads, and tails, the horse mascots are wrapped in multiple layers of foam and packed in individual boxes to minimize impact during long-distance shipping.

Shipping costs may increase, but it's a necessary step to maintain the product's shape and appearance.

From the moment it leaves the kiln to the hands of the customer, the Horse is not only the mascot of 2026, but also embodies the potter's wish for a prosperous, successful, and peaceful new year.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/linh-vat-ngua-tet-2026-chon-than-thai-hon-kich-thuoc-20260130232432502.htm