I think that our perspective as humans may be too restrictive.  I wrote an article a few days ago and posted it on the doves  explaining the teaching of Irvin Baxter of End Time Ministries about the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse.  I believe that he is correct.

Horse and rider:

1.  White horse.....Catholicism circa 325 A. D. until Armageddon.  The rider has a bow, but no arrows.  He is the Papacy using the Word of God to gain his religio/political ends.  He will enslave mankind with the mark of the beast as the false prophet.

2.  Red horse.....Communism/Socialism...the rider is warlike and the sword speaks of warlike actions.  Conquest is the trademark.

3.  Black horse....Capitalism...the rider is goods and services and the scales speak of commerce and trade.  Greed is the trademark.

4.  Pale/green horse...Islamism...the rider is death and that is their trademark and hell follows wherever he goes.  They are bestial in nature and their favorite method of killing is with the sword to cut off heads.

These all ride to Armageddon.

Like so much prophecies, there may be and probably is layers of meaning. There could also be a "local" application of these riders as we get closer to the time.