He played college football for the Colgate Raiders and was selected in 1916 as a first-team All-American at the tackle position.

[4] After the 1916 season, Walter Camp, writing in Collier's Weekly, selected Horning as a first-team All-American at the tackle position.

[10] In September 1920, the NFL (called the American Professional Football Association during the 1920 and 1921 seasons) was founded at a meeting in the Hupmobile auto showroom of the owner of the Canton Bulldogs.

The Heralds won by a 40–14 score, and Horning, playing at the right tackle position, also handled kicking for the club and converted on four goals after touchdown for Detroit.

When the Tigers folded, Horning was among the players loaned to the Buffalo All-Americans to finish out their season; he scored the All-Americans' only touchdown on a blocked punt return in the de facto championship game that year, falling on the ball in the end zone after the block.

[16] In 1940, Horning was living with his wife, Georgianna, and daughter, Betty June, in Royal Oak, Michigan, and was employed as a school teacher.