About the Horseshoe spread
The Horseshoe is a seven-card spread laid in an arch. It reads like a story with a beginning, a middle and an end, and between the three-card spread and the Celtic Cross it is the most balanced: enough cards to show what is hidden and what to do, without the full weight of ten.
Its advice card makes it practical. Use it when you want to understand a situation and come away knowing what to do next.
The positions
- 1Past. What has led up to this?
- 2Present. Where do things stand right now?
- 3Hidden Influences. What is at work here that you cannot see yet?
- 4Obstacle. What stands in the way?
- 5Outside Influences. What are the people around you bringing to it?
- 6Advice. What should you do about it?
- 7Outcome. Where does all of this lead?
How to lay it out with your own deck
- Shuffle with your question in mind.
- Lay seven cards in an arch from left to right, the middle card highest: past, present, hidden influences, obstacle, outside influences, advice, outcome.
- Read the arc from left to right, then go back to the advice card and read the outcome again in its light.
Drew the cards at home? Choose “Enter my own cards” above and get the written reading for the cards you drew.
How to read it
- The hidden influences and the obstacle sit near the top of the arch, between what has happened and what will: read them as what the whole story turns on.
- Read the obstacle and the advice cards as a pair. The advice is usually the way around, through or past that specific obstacle.
- Outside influences can be people, circumstances or timing. Ask which before you decide what the card means.
Questions
- What are the positions in the horseshoe tarot spread?
- Seven positions from left to right: the past, the present, hidden influences, the obstacle, outside influences, advice, and the likely outcome.
- When should I use the horseshoe spread instead of the Celtic Cross?
- When you want a clear story and practical advice without the depth of ten cards. The Horseshoe is quicker to read and its advice card makes it good for decisions about what to do next.