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 Cross |
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Hidden Influences  The Lilies |
External Influences  The House |
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The Present  The Book |
Suggestion  The Mouse |
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The Past  The Fox |
The Outcome  The Sun |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
The Fox
Deviousness, plotting, hypocrisy, lies, a warning that something is not what it seems, worldly logic, temptations, trickery. When facing away from the affected card, it means absolute honesty and survival instincts.
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 Lilies
Development of the soul, success, conscience, holiness, and learning to accept good traits and bad. The Lilies signify a happy period accomplishment.
The Cross
Symbol of fate, karma, guilt, knowledge, belief, tests, sacrifice, grand endings, tough love, and hard lessons. The Cross indicates that you may have to make a considerable sacrifice.
The House
Stability, shelter, home life, family, and responsibility. The House also indicates success in creative projects.
The Mouse
Obstacles, losses, hidden enemies, old debts, secrets that eat away at a person, annoyances. The Mouse signifies some minor losses from which you should recover easily, as long as you deal with them while they are still small.
The Sun
Creation, brilliance, success, heat, positivity, happiness, will-power, aura, the absolute, the centre of attention. The Sun indicates great honours will be bestowed upon you.