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  The Scythe |
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Hidden Influences  The Key |
External Influences  The Tree |
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The Present  The Mountain |
Suggestion  The Coffin |
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The Past  The Book |
The Outcome  The Ring |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
The Book
Wisdom, the Book of Life, facts, things are in good standing, learning, and the symbol of the teacher. The Book may represent a secret of great importance. This secret should be diligently sought after with an open mind, or you will gloss right over it.
The Mountain
Obstacles, danger, frustration, roadblocks, coldness, and hard work. The Mountain indicates a difficult challenge that will most likely isolate you from friends and enemies alike.
The Key
Understanding, truth, knowledge, advice, probabilities, and possibilities. The Key means that you have what it takes to move on to another level.
The Scythe
This card indicates inner knowledge, but not really wisdom. Something that one does not understand by experience, but in theory. A warning to be careful, as something that happens quickly can bring much pain. This card indicates that you will reap the harvest of what you have sewn.
The Tree
The Tree is symbolic of life, health, nature, time, development, and awareness of one's place in the universe. If you do not live a healthy lifestyle already, the Tree indicates that you should become concerned about this and make changes to become healthier.
The Coffin
Transformation, adaptation, major changes, secrets uncovered, beginnings, and endings. The Coffin foretells that something will be coming to an end, which means you will need to adapt.
The Ring
Karma, cycles, monotony, group work, connections, contracts, promises, and protection. The Ring signifies solidification.