That blemish aside, Horrocks had a majestic game - highlighted by an incredible box kick charge down and full stretch dive to catch the ball and score in the same movement for Border's bonus point try.
Kaierau's defence didn't give Horrocks and playmaker Craig Clare much room to work in, in the opening 15 minutes until the former professional Clare showed the young Kaierau players they still have a bit to learn with a brilliant dart and double-step to score a smart individual try.
Horrocks, Clare and fullback Nick Harding made Kaierau pay for their handling mistakes with booming clearances, while out wide, centre Alekesio Vakarorogo was outstanding on cover defence and set up a great try to winger Isaiah Graham Hooper with a perfect offload.
Lock Jack Hodges and prop Kamipeli Latu showed full aggression and were rewarded for it by dragging tacklers over the line for tries, while once again the king of work-rate was flanker Angus Middleton, who led his side out of the potential crisis while playing with 13 using guile and determination.
For Kaierau, who had injured lock Matt Ashworth watching in the stands and lost goal-kicking winger Shandon Scott to a suspected torn pectoral during Clare's try, there will have to be a rethink before the playoffs.
First five Ethan Robinson looked to create rare opportunities and had the final say with a great individual try on fulltime, while flanker Dylan Bowater took over the extra work in the lineout and produced some strong tackles off the ruck.
Replacing Scott, reserve winger Patrick Hiscox was strong out wide and scored a good try in the corner and replacement hooker Kohlt Coveny dotted down for the second week in a row with an individual burst to the line while Border were two defenders short.
But far too many others, both starting lineup and off the bench, let the occasion get to them and just stretched too far in search of that extra metre.
So many attacking opportunities coming into Border's half were ended at the breakdown with lost ball in contact, risky passes going down, or players being driven over the sideline.
Border could have blown the scoreline out further with more accurate goal kicking, or if a couple of balls kicked ahead for speedster Vereniki Tikoisolomone had sat up instead of going out of play.
"It was a reasonable performance, but discipline probably let us down and put us under unnecessary pressure," said Border coach Cole Baldwin.
"The score reflects the game anyway; we were probably 7-8 [more] points better. Take the win any day."
Baldwin appreciated the likes of Middleton stepping up when two players were sent behind the posts – Border never stopped looking to attack and were able to eat up most of the clock.
"That's what we're about, it's about working hard for each other, it's not about being show ponies.
"That's what a good team's made of; they find something when it's hard to find it."
Border could run away with their points table lead if they can see off Byford Readimix Taihape this weekend - putting their home game streak of seven matches up against Taihape's impressive road record of 10 consecutive wins.
"Whoever comes here needs to come with a pretty good game plan to knock us over," said Baldwin.
Kaierau co-coach Carl Gibson knew his side did not show enough ball control to implement their game plan.
"That was uncharacteristic of our boys today – we've held the ball for phases and phases, and today [mistakes] just came from pressure.
"To be fair, that's a credit to Border, they seriously brought pressure.
"We tackled and defended well, but for the first sort of 15-20 minutes, we didn't have the ball much and they just kept bringing it; they brought physicality and they brought passion."
Gibson said having that base let Clare launch for his try, while he and Horrocks had passed and kick perfectly.
"All those things just turned us round at key times."
Kaierau will now go away and think about not getting lost in the moment – trying to set up a follow-on from the big busts instead of rolling the dice by trying to pass in narrow corridors.
"You don't even need to do the offload when it's not 100 per cent on, but that comes from pressure, you feel like you have to," said Gibson.
"If things go well from here, I'd like to think we'll get them at the end again."
Border 32 (C Clare, J Hodges, I Graham-Hooper, L Horrocks, K Latu tries; N Harding pen, con, Clare con) bt Kaierau 18 (P Hiscox, K Coveny, E Robinson tries; Robinson pen). HT: 12-3.
