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![]() 8 of Wands |
||
Hidden Influences![]() 9 of Pentacles |
External Influences![]() The Emperor |
|
The Present![]() Ace of Wands |
Suggestion![]() 6 of Swords |
|
The Past![]() 10 of Pentacles |
The Outcome![]() 4 of Pentacles |
The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.
10 of Pentacles
The tree of life doesn't play out flawlessly like it does in the diagrams. It's actually far more distorted than that. Don't mistake the map for the territory and follow books blindly.
The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
Ace of Wands
A wand is a means to a magical end. If you don't like what you're seeing, use yours to change the channel.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
9 of Pentacles
Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Dzugdzugdzug.
Realistically, profit isn't hanging in the sky to be taken. If you take it, you're taking it from somebody. And you don't just get to smoosh them.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
8 of Wands
The means by which you arrive are not necessarily the means by which you'll stay.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
The Emperor
In this case King Sargon of Akkad. A great ruler in his own time rarely even makes the history books in ours.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
6 of Swords
Something has to make the rain come down. It got up there but once there's enough of it, it falls back to Earth. It's not enough just to let it happen, if you want to understand you have to observe.
The Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
4 of Pentacles
It doesn't always come out the way you wanted. That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy it.