When I first learned about trading, I didn’t start with YouTube videos or TikTok influencers. I started with Richard Dennis—the legendary trend trader who turned $1,600 into $200 million and trained the famous Turtle Traders. I studied his rules like scripture. I followed the charts, the breakouts, the discipline.
And for a long time, it worked.
But something changed.
The markets—especially crypto—stopped rewarding long-term trend-followers like they used to. Patterns broke. Momentum died quickly. Whipsaws became the new normal.
So I did something I never thought I would:
I took everything Richard Dennis taught me…
…and used it to test Dan Hollings’ Horseshoe Method—a strategy designed not for trends, but for the sideways chop that everyone else avoids.
What I discovered surprised me. Then it impressed me. Then it earned my loyalty.
A Quick Word on Richard Dennis
Before we dive into Dan Hollings' method, let me honor my roots.
Richard Dennis wasn’t just a trader—he was a visionary. He believed trading success could be taught, and he proved it by creating the Turtle experiment. His system was simple, rule-based, and focused entirely on trend-following. Wait for a breakout. Ride it with discipline. Cut losses. Let winners run.
That system made millionaires.
It made sense.
It made me.
But Richard also warned us about changing conditions. He said, “When markets change, the smart ones evolve.”
Enter Dan Hollings and the Horseshoe Method
Dan isn’t trying to chase trends. He’s doing the opposite. His Horseshoe Method is designed for sideways markets—which, let’s be honest, is what most crypto pairs are stuck in 80% of the time.
Here’s how it works in essence (without giving away the secret sauce):
You set up a trading bot that buys small dips and sells small pops inside a predefined range.
The bot creates a “horseshoe” shaped curve of activity, scaling into weakness and scaling out of strength.
If price bounces around inside that zone, the bot captures dozens (or hundreds) of small wins.
At first, I thought: This can’t be serious. Where’s the breakout? Where’s the trend?
Then I saw the results.
And I remembered something else Richard Dennis taught us:
“It’s not about being right. It’s about having a system that works.”
Why This Works in 2025 (When Trend-Following Struggles)
Crypto today isn’t the same as commodities in the ‘80s. We’re dealing with:
Algorithmic chop
Fake breakouts
Market makers exploiting emotions
Sideways ranges that last for weeks
I’ve watched trend-followers lose weeks waiting for confirmation. Meanwhile, the Horseshoe bots are grinding out steady profits every day the market goes sideways.
To put it bluntly:
The Horseshoe Method is what you use when the market just won’t move.
Which is… most of the time.
From Turtles to Horseshoes: A Shift in Mindset
I resisted it. I really did.
For years, I clung to my trend lines and breakout strategies.
But eventually, I asked myself:
“What if I could apply the discipline of the Turtles…
to a method that thrives in range-bound chaos?”
That’s what I found in Dan’s method.
The emotional control? Still required.
The patience? Even more so.
The rules? Different, but equally logical.
It’s not a replacement for what Richard taught me. It’s an evolution of it.
Where It Shines (and Where It Doesn’t)
Let me give it to you straight—just like Richard would’ve wanted.
✅ What I Love:
Automation removes emotion
Bots don’t panic. Bots don’t get greedy. They just trade the range.Frequent wins boost momentum
Small profits stack up. It’s motivating, even addicting—but in a good way.Perfect for part-time traders
You don’t have to babysit this system. Set it up. Check in. Let it work.Reinforces discipline
You learn not to interfere. That’s huge growth for emotional traders.
⚠️ What You Should Know:
Not for trending markets
If a coin suddenly moons, your bot might be left behind or unbalanced.Needs monitoring over time
You can’t “set and forget” forever. Market conditions shift. Grids need adjusting.Low excitement, high sustainability
If you’re chasing adrenaline, this isn’t it. This is the slow-cooker of trading.
What Richard Would Say (If I Had to Guess)
I often think about what Richard Dennis would say if he saw me running crypto bots instead of riding corn and gold futures.
He might raise an eyebrow.
But I think he’d appreciate this:
The Horseshoe Method is based on math, not magic
It promotes discipline over emotion
It works in a market that most systems fail in
And most of all, he’d admire that it helps everyday people win—without needing to become a chart-obsessed genius.
That was his mission too.
Real Results (What I’ve Seen Personally)
After running the Horseshoe Method across multiple pairs, here’s what I’ve experienced:
Consistent ROI in the 1%–3% monthly range per bot (varies, of course)
Less screen time, more freedom
A deeper appreciation for passive systems that align with my psychology
A system I can recommend to beginners without hesitation
I’ve shared this with my audience.
The response?
Enthusiastic.
Because most of us don’t want to become full-time traders.
We want strategies that fit into our lives, not take over them.
Why This Method Works With My Turtle Training, Not Against It
This surprised me most:
Everything Richard taught me is still relevant.
Discipline. Patience. Risk management.
The Horseshoe Method doesn’t eliminate those—it amplifies them.
You still have to:
Decide which pairs to trade
Choose the right range spacing
Let the bot do its job without interference
Zoom out emotionally when a pair dips hard
So in a way, this isn’t abandoning trend-following. It’s just applying Turtle thinking to modern automation.
And it works.
Who Should Try This?
If you’re:
✅ New to crypto
✅ Tired of guessing the top and bottom
✅ Looking for automated income with rules and structure
✅ Willing to commit to a system, not your feelings
✅ Interested in making your money work without staring at charts all day
Then the Horseshoe Method is a gift.
It’s not flashy.
It’s not magic.
It’s not the get-rich-quick game the YouTube bros push.
But it’s real.
It’s honest.
And if you apply it right, it works—especially for people like us who were trained to follow rules.
Final Thoughts from a Turtle in the AI Age
Markets evolve. So must we.
What Richard Dennis taught me was timeless—but not unchangeable.
He gave me the foundation.
Dan Hollings helped me adapt it to a new world.
If you’re still clinging to old methods that don’t match today’s market, consider this:
What if the next evolution of your trading journey…
is shaped like a horseshoe?
And what if the boring strategy…
is the one that sets you free?
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