The seven-card Horse Shoe is a convenient, basic layout that can be used to answer different types of questions, especially concerning questions where insight would be helpful. Like several other spreads, it has cards representing the past, present, and future.
The pinnacle of the Horse Shoe, looking like the top of the mountain, shows the obstacle or challenge that needs to be addressed and overcome. Card #6 suggests a course of action to meet this challenge. The final card shows the outcome or future, should this advice be followed.
Other clues are provided in Cards #3 and #5, which indicate hidden or outside influences that come into play, affecting the journey to your goal.
Obstacle  6 of Diamonds |
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Hidden Influences  6 of Clubs |
External Influences  Queen of Spades |
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The Present  7 of Spades |
Suggestion  4 of Hearts |
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The Past  Queen of Hearts |
The Outcome  7 of Diamonds |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
Queen of Hearts
This card suggests a fair-haired woman with a gentle and pleasant personality. She is almost stereotypically passive and receptive. This card is particularly influenced by the energies of the adjacent cards in a reading. She may have the heart of a poet.
7 of Spades
This signifies a battle where your prospects are not good. The best you could hope for in this circumstance is a narrow victory costing at least as much as anything gained. More likely this battle is hopeless, though this is often difficult to accept.
6 of Clubs
This card suggests a lucrative business partnership, and opportunities for success in business.
6 of Diamonds
This card embodies success itself. It suggests you will be influential because others will be looking up to you. Share your success and cultivate a cycle of fruitfulness and good fortune.
Queen of Spades
This symbolises a dark-haired woman who may be attractive, seductive, and/or unscrupulous. You should be on your toes because deception is in the air. Is it possible that you are deceiving yourself?
4 of Hearts
Indulgence in luxury is represented by this sign. This is also a warning of the possibility of excess. You can party as hard as you like, just remember to know your limitations. Always be safe.
7 of Diamonds
This represents an unfortunate time of loss. Losing is indicated – as in bad luck at gambling, fighting and losing, or building towards the construction of a monumental failure. Sometimes it may be better to just give up.