The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

organise facilities and materials

identify the shoe requirements of particular horses

produce specifications to make shoes for particular horses

make front and hind shoes for a range of healthy horses.

The skills and knowledge required to make standard shoes for range of horses must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in worksites, where routine farriery tasks are performed, or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access to a range of healthy horses and the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:

written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge

observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks

simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions

third-party evidence

workplace documentation

portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

Required skills

adhere to OHS and animal welfare legislation, regulations and codes of practice

appraise needs of individual horses

build and maintain forge fire at appropriate temperature

develop specifications for shoes

make shoes for a range of healthy horses

literacy skills to read and follow organisational policies and procedures, including OHS, waste management and hygiene standards; follow sequenced written instructions; and record the information accurately and legibly

oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice when required

numeracy skills to estimate, calculate, record and apply routine workplace measures to required tasks including measurements to assess shoe requirements

problem-solving skills to select required materials and equipment and prioritise tasks

use safe manual handling techniques and equipment

use safe waste handling and disposal procedures.

Required knowledge

movement of the hoof wall with weight bearing

quality standards

reasons for use of various metal types and dimensions in shoe making

safe work practices

sizes, styles and types of shoes required for a range of horses

variants that apply in making shoes to fit an individual horse.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Work methods may include:

forging techniques

use of gas and other forges

use of grinding equipment

use of specific parts of the anvil to shape and forge metal

use of welding equipment.

Materials and hand tools may include:

materials:

steel

aluminium

rubber

plastic and other synthetics

other metals:

copper

magnesium

titanium

hand tools:

centre punch

creaser/fuller

heel cropper or hardy

horseshoer's anvil

nail stamp

pritchel

rounding hammer

ruler and angle gauges

vice

shoemaking tongs

fire tools:

ash rake

fire poker

fire rake

fire tongs.

Steel types may include:

concave

flat

fullered

round.

Dimensions used in shoe manufacture may include:

size and shape of feet

work horse is doing

surface horse is working on.

Considerations in selecting the most suitable shoe may include:

types of horses:

competition horse

draught and carriage horse

harness or thoroughbred race horse

Olympic disciplines

pleasure riding horse

endurance

polo and polocrosse horses

working stock horses

current status of the horse:

its gait and conformation

level of work (e.g. whether it is spelling or training)

particular needs:

pregnancy, injury or ailment management

the gauge of steel selected should be appropriate to foot size

the weight of the shoe in relation to the work to be performed

the style of shoe selected will be influenced by:

availability of materials

cost involved

the preference of the owner

the terrain the horse is worked on

the type of work the horse does

shoes may be machine or handmade:

fullered concave

plain stamped

hand fullered

sizes available in machine made horseshoes

shoes for fore and hind feet.

Variants in shoe size and shape may include:

toe clip

side clip

block heels

tapered heels

trailers

stud holes

rolled toe

set toe.

Specifications to produce required shoes may include:

a copy of an existing item

drawings

oral instructions

written instructions.

OHS requirements may include:

being prepared to say no to handling an uneducated, stressed or difficult horse

following safe work method statements for:

cleaning and sharpening tools

completing farriery tasks:

applying fillers and other treatments

removing, replacing and fitting shoes

trimming feet

handling horses

using bottled gas

using personal protective equipment:

eye and ear protection

farrier's apron

gloves

work boots

working with fire to shape shoes, shoe horses and weld

working with tools and metal.

Considerations to ensure materials are accurately cut may include:

impact of accuracy on the fit and comfort of the final product

impact on final product dimensions if calculations are not correct

tools used are sharp

tools are appropriate for the material being cut and the type of cut required.

Indicators of malleable working temperature may include:

temperature of heat source

colour or other features to indicate temperature:

warm heat

black heat

dull red or blood red heat

bright red heat

bright yellow or near welding heat

light welding, sweating or slippery heat

full welding heat

white or snowball heat

time in heat.

Standard steps in making shoes may include:

marking the length

cutting the bar stock

marking the centre bar stock and the heels

creating the toe bend

marking and punching the nail holes

forming heels

turning the branches

drawing the clips

levelling the shoe

finishing the heels.

Quality standards in fitting shoes may include:

the shoe is shaped to fit the foot with allowance for expansion at the heels and outline fit

the heels of the shoe cover the buttresses

the foot surface of the shoe and wall of the foot fit tightly against each other and the shoe will not 'rock' from side to side

the heels of the shoe fit flat against the heels of the foot

the shoe has sole relief

the nail holes on the shoe are opened sufficiently for the correct size nail to be used

nail holes are positioned to allow for maximum security and safety when nailing

there are no burrs or sharp edges.