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 Lilies |
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Hidden Influences  The Clover |
External Influences  The Serpent |
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The Present  The House |
Suggestion  The Fox |
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The Past  The Tree |
The Outcome  The Mountain |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
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 House
Stability, shelter, home life, family, and responsibility. The House also indicates success in creative projects.
The Clover
The Clover is a symbol of good luck, hope, simplicity, and nature. This card indicates a sudden burst of good luck coming your way.
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 Serpent
Temptations, dark forces, cunning, deviousness, earthly intelligence, lower nature, and biological urges. The Serpent may represent someone trying to trick you. Be wary of people trying to take advantage of you, who may lead you down the wrong path. If the cards surrounding this card are favourable to you, this is a sign that you may be the one who is being devious.
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 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.