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.

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency 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 and include evidence of the following:

knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when planning and introducing racing husbandry and exercise practices to racehorses

implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient introduction of industry-approved routines and activities related to educating horses for racing

working with others to implement and complete horse education procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of racehorses of different ages and sexes, and at different stages of preparation in racing stable and track environments.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to horses that are being educated and trained in a commercial racing stable under the care of a licensed trainer and the required resources. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

a variety of harness or thoroughbred horses that are currently in training

commercial racing training establishments, and training and racetracks

materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to plan and implement education of horses for racing

work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

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

observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks.

Where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons, at least one of whom should be approved by the State Principal Racing Authority.

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

RGRPSH401A Relate anatomical and physiological features to the care and treatment of horses

RGRPSH408A Manage horse health and welfare

RGRPSH409A Determine nutritional requirements for racing horses

RGRPSH501A Plan and adapt training and conditioning programs for racehorses.

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

applying horse learning principles to the introduction of young or inexperienced horses to new or stressful activities and environments

applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses

communicating with stable staff, horse health specialists and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to education of horses for racing

complying with animal welfare policies in the care and management of horses

consulting specialists for the training and handling of horses

dealing with emergencies

directing or instructing others in the handling of horses

evaluating options for handling and educating horses

identifying and modifying potentially stressful or hazardous situations and activities for young and inexperienced horses

identifying relaxed and distressed behavioural characteristics in horses

identifying, fitting and using different items of riding or driving gear and assessing their condition in terms of safe use and need for repair

identifying, fitting and using different items of exercise and protective equipment on horses

maintaining OHS workplace procedures

modifying or adapting training and education practices in relation to individual horse response to stimuli

reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including relevant rules of racing

relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities

supporting others in applying education programs to horses in the appropriate manner

written communication skills to document education programs and record observations.

Required knowledge

activities that racing horses are required to perform

behaviour of horses in normal and distressed states

communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry

indicators of horse's ability to comprehend and complete required tasks

industry terminology related to education of racing horses

OHS protocols and racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures

principles of horse anatomy and physiology

racing industry animal welfare requirements.

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to plan and implement education of horses for racing. Workplaces include harness or thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Racing stable activities include:

accepting restraints, including being tied up

adapting to living in stables or yards

feeding routines

shoeing

standing for grooming, hosing, clipping, tacking up and rugging

standing or working close to other horses.

Racing tack and equipment include:

bridles

blinkers, winkers and hoods

harness specific:

cart

head check

hobbles

jog machine vehicle

protective equipment, including:

boots

bandages

swimming pools

thoroughbred specific:

girths

saddles and associated tack, for example:

breast plate

martingale

saddlecloths

treadmills and walking machines.

Remedial or corrective equipment includes:

assorted bits

blinkers or hoods

harness specific:

ear muffs

head check

lugging pole

nosebands

spreaders

thoroughbred specific:

barrier blanket

brow band

cornell collar

martingale

noseband

nose roll

pacifiers

tongue tie

winkers.

Methods that could be used to acclimatise horses to exercise related activities include:

horses ridden or driven singly under direct supervision

horses worked with experienced, reliable horses

horses loaded onto truck or trailer and transported to track

horses put into tie-up stalls.

Methods that could be used to acclimatise horses working on the track include:

introducing other working horses at controlled distances and speeds to work with inexperienced or young horses

learning theory, including:

classical conditioning

habituation

operant conditioning, for example:

extinction response

positive and negative reinforcement

practising on home or quiet track where number of horses on track can be controlled

working young or inexperienced horses with experienced and confident horses.

Race start activities include:

harness specific:

performing score up

mobbing to race start

loading for standing start

loading for mobile start

parading in birdcage

thoroughbred specific:

parading in mounting enclosure

moving to race start

loading into barriers.

Social and housing needs of racing horses include:

need for company of other horses

need for personal space

need for shelter with adequate ventilation and room to move and lay down.

Assessment of horses' condition may include:

blood tests

evaluating condition score

evaluating muscle definition and balance

weighing.

Acclimatisation to stable and training routines and gear may include:

horse is eating up feed and drinking appropriate amounts of water daily

horse is less reactive to repeated exposures to stimuli

horse maintains weight

horse shows interest in surroundings and activities

horse stands relatively quietly for exercise or race preparation activities.

Specialist advice may include:

dentist

farrier

horse breaker

jockey or driver

nutritionist

other trainer

specialist young horse trackwork rider or driver

starter

thoroughbred barrier attendant

thoroughbred specialist trackwork jump-out rider

veterinarian.