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 Mountain |
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Hidden Influences  The House |
External Influences  The Child |
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The Present  The Park |
Suggestion  The Anchor |
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The Past  The Fish |
The Outcome  The Gentleman |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
The Fish
Intellectualism, psychic abilities, material success, luxury, and wealth. Also, instability, excess, drugs, and alcohol. The Fish is a sign of great fortune, but also a warning to set boundaries or luxury may lead to corruption.
The Park
Society, connection, peace, lack of worries, multi-faceted feelings, gatherings, and parties. The Park indicates you'll have loyal friends to share good times with.
The House
Stability, shelter, home life, family, and responsibility. The House also indicates success in creative projects.
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 Child
The Child indicates youth, inexperience, naiveness, playfulness, and small size. The appearance of the Child may foretell a child coming into your life.
The Anchor
Lifestyle, foundation, roots, gravity, and security in work or relationships. The Anchor indicates a firm base of success and profit from your endeavours. Now is a good time for you aggressively work towards your goals.
The Gentleman
If you are a man, this is the card that represents you. All other cards in your reading are interpreted by their proximity to this card.
If you are a woman, this card represents a powerful man who will have a significant positive influence on your life: a friend, husband, significant other, boyfriend, love. Could also indicate action, aggressiveness, logic, or will-power.