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![]() Adjustment |
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Hidden Influences![]() The Hanged Man |
External Influences![]() The Empress |
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The Present![]() The Aeon |
Suggestion![]() Fortune |
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The Past![]() The Magus |
The Outcome![]() Death |
The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.
The Magus
Mercury
Skill, wisdom, adroitness, elasticity, craft, cunning, deceit, theft. Sometimes occult wisdom or power, sometimes a quick impulse, a brain-wave. It may imply messages, business transactions, the interference of learning or intelligence with the matter in hand.
The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
The Aeon
Fire
Final decision in respect of the past, new current in respect of the future; always represents the taking of a definite step.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
The Hanged Man
Water
Enforced sacrifice, punishment, loss, fatal or voluntary, suffering, defeat, failure, death.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
Adjustment
Libra
Justice, or rather justesse, the act of adjustment, suspension of all action pending decision; in material matters, may refer to law suits or prosecutions. Socially, marriage or marriage agreements; politically, treaties.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
The Empress
Venus
Love, beauty, happiness, pleasure, success, completion, good fortune, graciousness, elegance, luxury, idleness, dissipation debauchery, friendship, gentleness, delight.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
Fortune
Jupiter
Change of fortune. (This generally means good fortune because the fact of consultation implies anxiety or discontent.)
The Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
Death
Scorpio
Transformation, change, voluntary or involuntary, in either case logical development of existing conditions, yet perhaps sudden and unexpected. Apparent death or destruction, but such interpretation is illusion.