Problem with Horse-shoe spread

[NamasteIndia]

I was using a horse shoe spread which said that

Card 1 - Present Position
card 2 - Present Expectation
Card 3 - Unexpected
Card 4 - Immediate Future
Card 5 - Long term Future.

Most of the spreads i have seen here are saying Card 1 - Recent Past.

Also i find difficult to interpret the Card 3(Unexpected)

 

[rwcarter]

Much like there are numerous iterations of the Celtic Cross where the positions mean different things, the Horseshoe Spread refers more to the shape of the spread than the information gleaned from the positions.

The version you listed appears to discuss present and future, while the version you're more familiar with appears to cover past, present and future.

My guess is "Unexpected" refers to something that the querent isn't aware of and will be surprised by (pleasantly or not). Because of its placement between the present and future positions, I would also guess that this unexpected event moves the querent from the present to the future.

Rodney