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  King of Clubs |
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Hidden Influences  5 of Spades |
External Influences  Queen of Hearts |
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The Present  6 of Clubs |
Suggestion  2 of Hearts |
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The Past  8 of Clubs |
The Outcome  3 of Clubs |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
8 of Clubs
This card represents surprises that can suddenly appear out of nowhere. It symbolises explosive energy and suddenness. It can also suggest that meditation would be highly conductive at this time.
6 of Clubs
This card suggests a lucrative business partnership, and opportunities for success in business.
5 of Spades
This represents a situation where you can't win. There is a sense of weakness and loss attached to this symbol. Setbacks, interference, and anxiety are common interpretations of this card.
King of Clubs
The king signifies a dark-haired man. He is generous, faithful, open-minded and honest, though he can sometimes let pride go to his head. At his worst, he can unfortunately project his own repressions onto others.
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.
2 of Hearts
This card symbolises harmony and good feelings, even love. Fulfilment of the heart is often connected to relationships with others, but can also come from activities we deeply enjoy. Either way, this symbol stands for strong feelings.
3 of Clubs
Strong, enduring partnerships are indicated by the presence of this card. No matter which type of relationship this card refers to, it suggests a bond with great longevity.