Abstract: A boring head for forming a horizontal hole for a pipe installation in the subsoil beneath a roadway and the like is provided with an electrical operable guide extending forwardly from its leading end that can be selectively elevated or lowered to change the plane of forward movement of the head through the subsoil so that the location of the hole at the end of the bore can be accurately predicted. The respective movements of the guide, upwardly and downwardly, are automatically effected in response to a battery operated electronic control system designed to sense and maintain a horizontal position and to convert any sensed deviations therefrom into appropriate signals for activating and deactivating movement of the guide. The boring head is provided with a motion detecting component operably connected to the guide so that in the absence of motion in the head, the guide is rendered immobile.