Horse Shoe Spread

Difficulty: Easy
The Horse Shoe is a classic tarot spread. It is more advanced than the three-card reading, yet simpler than most other spreads. It is a versatile method that can be used for most queries, though there are other spreads which would go into more depth. Like the simple Past, Present, and Future spread, it contains these cards in positions #1, #2, and #7, but also has four other tarot cards that help the reader understand how to deal with the future better. The cards are to be read as follows:
- The Past: Past events affecting the question.
- The Present: The current state or approaching influence.
- Hidden Influences: Things the reader may not be aware of (or barely be aware of).
- Obstacles: This is the challenge: obstacles may be avoided or may have to be dealt with.
- External Influences: Attitudes and thoughts regarding people around the reader.
- Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
- Outcome: The result of following the suggestions.
Your Horse Shoe Reading
Obstacle![]() The Mice |
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Hidden Influences![]() The Harvest |
External Influences![]() The Book |
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The Present![]() The Rocket |
Suggestion![]() The Fox |
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The Past![]() The Mountain |
The Outcome![]() The Cloud |
The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.
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 Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
The Rocket
The rocket is the active part of the moon. This is the area of earth. The rocket breaks out.
Thoughts, good news, precognition, an augury. This is a messenger of good fortune, perhaps a young man. Your intentions will go well.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
The Harvest
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.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
The Mice
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.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
The Book
Realm of Water
The book keeps all the knowledge and consciousness inside. All this is present but not obvious or open. It means unconsciousness (dark colours and violet). It´s the opposite of the snake.
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.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
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 Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
The Cloud
Everywhere in the air there are tiniest particles of water. We can't see them. But if it cools down these particles assemble and the haze condenses. So, we never have 100% clear air. The cloud shows how our plans and thoughts begin to materialise or the other way how material things hinder the clearness.
Doubts, secret fears, worries, and weakness. A negative period of time on the horizon. It is suggested that you use this period of down time to your advantage by contemplating your situation and meditating on possible ways to fix the issues that may have caused the problem.