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  5 of Clubs |
||
Hidden Influences  Queen of Diamonds |
External Influences  King of Clubs |
|
The Present  8 of Diamonds |
Suggestion  4 of Spades |
|
The Past  10 of Diamonds |
The Outcome  Queen of Hearts |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
10 of Diamonds
There will be surprising financial opportunities. Material prosperity will be certain. This is the card of established material wealth.
8 of Diamonds
This card suggests knowledge of construction, agriculture, or material affairs. There is a slow and steady, unwavering progression – perhaps one who is late to bloom or saving the best for last.
Queen of Diamonds
This card symbolises a fair-haired woman who may like to gossip or meddle in other people's business. She is intelligent, charismatic, and practical, and perhaps flirtatious.
5 of Clubs
This is a sign of disconnection with the spiritual source. Discontentment with oneself leads to friction in relationships. There may be opposition from friends or associates, quarrelling, strife, and failure of projects, but you would be well served to look within as to the source of this.
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.
4 of Spades
Reconciliation, compromise, and signing deals of different kinds is the meaning of this card in a reading. There will be recovery after a period of struggles. The quarrel is resolved by intellectual means.
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.