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  7 of Clubs |
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Hidden Influences  3 of Hearts |
External Influences  Queen of Clubs |
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The Present  10 of Clubs |
Suggestion  Queen of Hearts |
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The Past  King of Hearts |
The Outcome  10 of Spades |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
King of Hearts
This represents a fair-haired man. He is honest but impetuous. He tends to be hasty and not think his decisions through. Therefore, one should be wary of accepting any advice from him.
10 of Clubs
This suggests you may have good fortune but at a cost greater than your gain. Be careful of the possibility of abuse. Do not allow malice or cruelty to take root in your soul. This card can mean entrapment, even imprisonment.
3 of Hearts
This is the card of overflowing fertility and abundance. This can even mean addition to the family, as in pregnancy or adoption. Kindness, hospitality, and creativity come with this sign.
7 of Clubs
This symbol of prosperity and honour suggests an uphill battle which you are more than capable of winning. The value of this experience can be incalculable in regards to both personal development and opening up new opportunities. However, this card can foretell the possibility of romantic interference.
Queen of Clubs
This queen represents a dark-haired woman. Her traits include strength of character, attractiveness, and helpfulness. She is a nice person but can sometimes be temperamental.
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.
10 of Spades
This is regarded as probably the worst symbol in the deck of playing cards. This card means absolute rock bottom, a period of mental breakdown and insanity. There will be an end to misery once the walls of your delusion fall to ruins. On the bright side, there will be a moment of clarity leading to rebirth.