Elements and Performance Criteria
- Plan presentation requirements
- Carry out basic risk assessment, considering horse body language and behaviour and environmental conditions
- Identify the different grooming standards for competition, presentation and sale requirements
- Confirm with supervisor the timeframes for completing grooming tasks, and feeding and watering schedule for the event
- Confirm clean and check condition of required equipment
- Adjust the fit of equipment prior to event
- Check hoof and shoe condition and report to supervisor
- Prepare event grooming equipment and gear inventory
- Wash and groom horse to presentation standard
- Select appropriate washing products according to coat type, condition and colour, and complete horse washing requirements
- Confirm the competition or breed standard requirements for coat presentation
- Select grooming tools and products according to workplace practices
- Groom to remove loose hair and encourage the coat to lay flat
- Trim coat to maintain established style
- Confirm trimming requirements with supervisor
- Identify hazards and demonstrate safe handling and positioning techniques when using scissors, clippers and blades around horses
- Determine the competition or breed standard requirements for coat trimming
- Select and prepare trimming tools
- Trim tail length and dock hair thickness
- Trim mane to even out thickness and length or cut off depending on breed
- Trim bridle path and withers to the established trim pattern
- Trim jaw line, legs and outside ear line to enhance the basic conformation without compromising horse welfare
- Clean and complete basic maintenance of trimming tools
- Plait mane and tail
- Confirm with supervisor the style or plaiting and number of plaits to be created
- Identify potential horse welfare issues and remedies related to plaiting manes and trimming or plaiting tails
- Use grooming techniques and products to encourage mane and tail hair to lay flat
- Divide the mane and plait down to produce plaits of even thickness
- Run up plaits and forelock in the required style and secure
- Groom tail and prepare in required style
- Complete final grooming
- Tack-up horse for event
- Confirm the time and location horse is required
- Ensure competition or lot numbers are correct and are fitted to horse, handler and/or rider according to competition requirements
- Check gear requirements and fit and adjust equipment to horse
- Complete final check and wipe over
- Present horse to handler, rider and/or driver
- Complete post-event care
- Cool down horse post-event
- Ensure horse is monitored and managed according to weather conditions
- Remove and brush out plaits after event
- Remove makeup and hoof dressing according to workplace practices
- Provide horse with feed and water according to supervisor instructions
- Clean and store equipment
- Check and report supply levels of grooming products