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![]() 4 of Pentacles |
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Hidden Influences![]() 5 of Swords |
External Influences![]() The Tower |
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The Present![]() The Moon |
Suggestion![]() The Empress |
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The Past![]() 4 of Swords |
The Outcome![]() King of Cups |
The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.
4 of Swords
Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam!
(Today is a good day to die!)
The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
The Moon
Tranquillity, calm, beauty, and for some reason I never understood, lobster. Don't ask me, blame antiquity.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
5 of Swords
An homage to Bosch and Bruegel, and a card symbolic of victory to the well-armed and pain to the unprepared or unwilling to defend.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
4 of Pentacles
It doesn't always come out the way you wanted. That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy it.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
The Tower
10:00 – Card 4
Male, Earth, Libra.
Failure and Loss. Defeat and ruin. The higher it's built, the harder it falls and the more it crushes when it does. That doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't worth building. Defeat can be accepted and the ruins left behind in favour of greener pastures, or one can start to rebuild. The latter is more difficult, but often more rewarding.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
The Empress
Regime change in action, it happens more in the sewers than the senates. One goes out, another comes in.
The Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
King of Cups
An homage to H.P. Lovecraft and the culture that's grown around his works in the modern world. Charlemagne has been replaced by Cthulhu. Past insanity has been replaced with new insanity, but it's still madness all the same. Don't believe that just because it's changed means it's been fixed.