Picture this: You’re about to celebrate the Lunar New Year in China and transition into the Year of the Horse, but instead of buying decorations with a positive vibe, you go for the “crying horse” toy, an adorable red plushie whose facial expression exudes anything but happiness. Its smile is turned upside down, making the toy look gloomy, much like Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” stories. You’re buying the sad-looking decoration because the crying horse has become an overnight sensation, and everybody is looking for this specific version of the toy.
Hilariously, a mistake made the toy a must-have decoration. The sad-looking design wasn’t intentional, and the manufacturer, Happy Sister store in Yiwu, sewed the horse’s mouth upside down during the initial production run. The accident turned into an unexpected success story for the retailer, which has seen demand go up as stories spread on social media about the crying horse.
Happy Sister owner Zhang Huoqing told Reuters that she offered a refund after someone pointed out the issue, but the buyer kept the toy. Instead of correcting the factory mistake, she kept producing the crying horse version. Demand soared, and by mid-January, daily orders topped 15,000 units. According to The Guardian, the popularity of the crying horse has spread internationally. Retailers in South Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East have placed wholesale orders. A crying horse toy costs 25 yuan in China, or less than $4.
The work connection
Year of the Horse, which starts on February 17 (2026) and lasts until February 5 (2027), is said to be a year of optimism and opportunity. The Horse zodiac sign is also associated with success and good fortune, which seems to fit well with Happy Sister’s unexpected popularity. Also, the upcoming Year of the Horse is a Fire Horse, which may explain why the toy is red.
Beyond Chinese zodiac connections, horses have been one of the animals humans have used reliably for thousands of years, and that may have played a huge role in why the crying horse toy went viral. Zhang told Reuters that some people joked that the upside-down smile is how you look at work. The happy horse, with its regular smile, is how you look after work.
Other reports have speculated that buyers were quick to tie the horse’s facial expression to the work culture in China. The country is infamous for the “996” work culture that sees workers clocking in from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., six days a week. Whether it’s just because it’s adorable or to help tired workers blow off steam, the sad-but-cute horse has become a good way to connect with others.
