the year of the horse

To celebrate the 2026 Year of the Horse, Star Trails reached out to artist Ramiro Huizar to capture the strength, and freedom a horse represents.

The Year of the Horse reminds us that success comes from consistent motion, courage to explore new paths, and the ability to balance strength with community along the journey. Aligning these positive attributes with Star Trails, Ramiro created an original painting titled “The Lone Star,” This painting was unveiled May 24th at Novel Pizza Cafe, 1759 W 19th St.

The first time I ever rode a horse was with Star Trails. Being assigned the biggest horse that day was intimidating, but taking the reins and overcoming that fear became part of the experience. The beauty and presence of the horses at Memory Lane Stables in Willow Springs left a lasting impression on me and later became one of the inspirations behind this project.

With 2026 being the Year of the Horse, it felt natural to connect that experience with the direction Star Trails is heading. I wanted The Lone Star project to represent strength, resilience, and new beginnings, values that continue to shape both myself and the community around Star Trails. I wanted to bring the idea to life through art, which led me to collaborate with my friend and artist @ramiro_arte_

Ramiro’s distinctive style blends bold expressive brush strokes of the nopal cactus with sharp detailed lines of its thorns. His style perfectly captured the beauty, and energy I envisioned for this piece.

As Star Trails enters year three, I want to continue building community not only through the outdoors, but also through art, food, and culture. I’ve met so many amazing people on the trails, and now I’m excited to create spaces that bring people together beyond them.

Special thank you to @novel.pizza for opening their space to us and serving a beautifully crafted drink “The Lone Star,”

What’s an experience that inspired you?