Make PDF pages flip horizontally like a book?

Try something like a PDF to Flash Magazine converter,  You can take advantage of a good and mature software instead of developing one yourself.

Still, some open sources for page flip which had great use in animation.

PDF itself is more like a readable file than a page flip book. While, Flash files support that kinda animated effect.

To make page flip book from PDF, I reommend this one http://www.pdf-to-flash-magazine.com/ ,  Both free online conversion and offline software download are offered, not to mention the wonderful page-flip effect they made.

You can look around to see if anything is available that you like (I don't think the exact action you want is available) under Advanced>

Document Processing>Page transitions.

Keep in mind that they only work when the PDF is being viewed in full screen. You can set it to open that way in File>Properties>Initial view.

You may be trying to do more than you can, especially if your understanding of Acrobat is limited.

First, the effect that you are trying to achieve is called a "Page Turn." From everything I know, there isn't any way to get that effect in an actual PDF document.

The only way I know to do that is to convert your PDF file into a Flash (swf) document. There the Page Turn transition is easy to create.

I create these Flash documents using the Export as SWF feature in InDesign. However, there are quite a few third-party products that will convert your PDF into a Flash document. (Ironically this is not something that native Adobe products do.)

But remember, the final document will not be a PDF. People will have to have the Flash Reader, not the Adobe Reader, to open the file.

It might be a good idea to look at how the final document will be distributed and played, before you decide on a transition effect.

Go to the View Menu/ Choose Two-up.