Election Using Horary

Here is an example of an election using the methods set forth in
John Gadbury's 1691 Nauticum Astrologicum, which is a book of horary and electional astrology for ships. He discusses the three methods of doing elections and gives examples. This chapter is included in my

Renaissance Electional Compilation

Anyhow, Gadbury says start with the natal chart of the ship or for an election for a person, their natal chart. Try to use the Ascendant of the nativity as the Ascendant of the election or the sextile or trine of the natal Ascendant as the electional Ascendant. Or the location of the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter and/or Venus or the trine or sextile of these locations as the location of the electional Ascendant, MC, Sun, Moon or Part of Fortune. Avoid in the election the place of Saturn, Mars or the South Node and the places of their square or opposition. Nauticum Astrologicum, p. 18.

Here we would use the natal chart of the mare, but this information is not available. Since we don't have a natal chart we proceed to the next method which is to use a horary question. Use the same procedure as above if the horary is favorable. If the horary is unfavorable make fortunate the factors that were unfavorable. Nauticum Astrologicum, p. 23-4. If we didn't have either a natal chart or horary, we would try get the most favorable electional chart. Nauticum Astrologicum, p. 30-1.

Here is the horary:

Question: Will we be able to successful mate our mare, to a stallion and have a safe delivery for mare and foal?"
Time Question Received & Understood: 11:26 am EST December 2, 2003
Place Question Received & Understood: Washington, D.C. 77 W 55 38 N 55

In this chart Aquarius rises and it is Saturn hour. As Saturn is the ruler of Aquarius the chart is radical and has initial signs of accuracy.

As Aquarius rises, Saturn is the significator of the querent. Saturn is in detriment and retrograde in the 5th house.

As this is a question regarding a mare the 12th house and its ruler signify her. Lilly, Christian Astrology, page 56. Saturn is ruler of the 12th. Saturn is appropriate for an older mare. Saturn is in Cancer, fruitful sign. Christian Astrology, 566.

Now since we are asking about the pregnancy of the mare and not the querent, we turn the chart, the 5th (offspring) of the 12th (mare) is the 4th house.

The ruler of the 4th is Mercury who is in the last degree of Sagittarius and about to go from being in detriment to being peregrine. The Part of Fortune is in the 4th. Mercury applies to conjoin Venus.

The sign on the turned 5th is Gemini, a barren sign. Christian Astrology 565. The ruler of the turned 5th Mercury is barren and in Sagittarius a more fruitful than barren sign, though about to go into Capricorn, a more barren than fruitful sign. Christian Astrology 566. The sign on the 12th, the Ascendant of the mare, is Capricorn, a more barren than fruitful sign. We also note that Venus, dignified by triplicity is conjunct the 12th Ascendant of the mare. Christian Astrology 225. Lilly says that if there is a good planet in the Ascendant that conception will take place, but if good and bad planets be mixed together there may be conception, but the offspring will not live. Christian Astrology, 223.

My sense of this chart is that it is indicating that conception is possible, but that a miscarriage would then ensue. Also possible, due to the afflicted state of the mare is no conception.


Here is the election for breeding the mare, based on the previous horary.

Election: time breeding mare, probably for contract or sending mare to stallion

Date: 12:16 am January 24, 2004
Location: Washington, D.C. 77 W 55 38 N 55

As I don't have the proper location I have used Washington, D.C. as an example.

In this chart, since this election is for the mare, the mare is signified by the first house and it's ruler Venus. Venus is exalted in the 5th house of offspring. This is, "a strong argument of...issue" Lilly, Christian Astrology 222. Venus is in Pisces, a fertile sign. The Moon is also in Pisces and conjunct the 5th house cusp, similarly a positive sign.

Now the cusp of the 5th is sextile the mare's Ascendant (the radix 12th) in the horary chart. The Moon and Venus in the election are also sextile the place of Venus in the horary chart. Venus is the Lesser Benefic, fruitful and dignified by triplicity in the horary.

The South Node, while in the 1st, is close enough to the 2nd to be conjunct it, so this assists the mare as well, getting the Node out of the 1st house.

Whew! That was difficult! I looked at over a hundred charts to get this one. Really shows the absolute necessity of having a computer to really be to look at the full range of electional choices.

Not a bad election, and I managed to include some factors from the horary in it! I was going to go on and do a pure election just based on getting good factors, but this one is pretty good.

More on Traditional Electional Astrology