Ten years after embarking on her journey into the world of equine reproduction, Deborah Borra has transformed Normandy Manor Farm from a modest operation on Long Island into a thriving 230-acre enterprise in western New York. What began as a venture with nine horses has blossomed into a farm housing 30 horses, including Swedish Warmblood stallions Kardinal and Falcon, a testament to Borra’s relentless energy, enthusiasm, and systematic business acumen.
From Real Estate to Reproduction: A New Beginning
Borra, who entered the breeding business in 1994 with an 18-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion named Brando and three broodmares, was a seasoned rider but new to stallion ownership and mare breeding. Her initial foray into learning about breeding at Cornell University was met with skepticism from equine reproduction specialists Dr. Chris Schweizer and Dr. Michelle Kutzler, who admitted they didn’t expect her to last a year. However, Borra has since proved them wrong, developing a strong friendship with the veterinarians and establishing a successful farm.
Her learning curve was steep, beginning with artificial insemination. When Brando’s motility was found to be low during a collection at Cornell, Borra realized the necessity of understanding the technical aspects of semen quality. “To increase his chances of settling his mares, I had to know about motility and concentration… from the bottom up,” she explained.
Essential Tools and Techniques for Equine Reproduction
Normandy Manor’s laboratory is equipped with essential tools for semen analysis, including a microscope, hemocytometer for sperm counting, centrifuge for concentration, refrigerator, and incubator. While disposable shipping containers are now available, Borra prefers the more substantial Equitainer to ensure the quality of transported semen.
Safe stallion handling for collection is another critical skill. Borra emphasizes the need for a three-person team and protective gear, including hard hats, a practice adopted from Cornell due to the inherent risks.
Building a Successful Breeding Business: Key Principles
Borra attributes her farm’s success to robust business practices:
- Realistic Business Plan: Borra meticulously calculated initial investments, including feed, hay, insurance, and labor costs. She also ensured the property had diverse potential uses beyond horse farming, providing a safety net for her venture.
- Consistent Organization: Every tool and supply is systematically stored in designated locations across the farm’s eight barns. This organization streamlines operations for staff and visiting veterinarians, ensuring immediate access to necessities, especially in emergencies. Feed is measured using specifically sized paint buckets labeled with each horse’s name, and feed containing medication is placed in yellow buckets to prevent mix-ups.
- Valuable and Loyal Staff: Recognizing that good help is paramount, Borra offers on-site housing and competitive salaries. She seeks employees eager to learn and highly motivated. To retain her team, she applies principles from her real estate career, rewarding hard work with incentives such as trips, massages, extra days off, or restaurant certificates.
- Regular Follow-Up and Oversight: Borra actively participates in daily farm operations, observing her staff and horses to ensure adherence to established protocols.
- Unwavering Honesty: Borra believes reputation is crucial in the horse industry. She prioritizes understanding a mare owner’s goals and assessing mare suitability before agreeing to a breeding, sometimes referring owners to other farms if a particular stallion isn’t a good match.
Commitment to Transparency and Quality
When selling a breeding, Borra ensures mare owners receive comprehensive information, including semen motility and concentration data. She advises against proceeding with stallion owners who are unwilling to share such details upfront. This commitment to honesty extends to selling horses; Borra believes in transparently disclosing a horse’s strengths and weaknesses to facilitate optimal care by the new owner.
Future Endeavors and Continued Learning
Currently, Borra focuses on breeding her own mares, with several young horses available for sale. She continues to expand her knowledge, working with reproductive specialist Dr. Dietrich Volkmann at Cornell on semen-freezing techniques, with plans to implement this at Normandy Manor in the future.
Despite the demanding nature of horse breeding, Borra remains passionate. Her dedication is evident in her willingness to sleep in the barn during foaling season and her competence in managing challenging births. “If I hadn’t spent all that time at Cornell, I would have lost the mare and foal,” she reflected.
