Application
This unit is applicable to farriers working in farriery workplaces and may require the farrier to work as part of a team with other professionals such as a veterinarian. It includes consideration of the needs of foals and young horses, which in most cases do not require shoeing, as well as meeting the particular needs of small ponies, chronically lame or damaged horses and specialised heavy draught animals. In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all units of competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Identify shoeing needs of individual horses | 1.1. Horses are handled appropriately to reduce stress and alarm, behaviour is monitored to eliminate risks to horse or handlers, and restraints are used as required. 1.2. Features ofgait and conformation of the horse are identified. 1.3. Particular needs of the individual horse that may be alleviated by the farrier are identified, together with the types of surgical shoes or modifications that may alleviate the problem. 1.4. Needs of foals and young horses are identified. 1.5. A working position is adopted which maintains comfort of the horse and ensures comfort and personal safety of the farrier and any assistants. 1.6. Shoes are removed safely, using tools appropriate for the task and ensuring no damage is caused to the feet of the horse. 1.7. Feet are cleaned of all foreign bodies to facilitate examination of the hoof, ensuring all relevant factors are taken into account. 1.8. The shoe is examined, and implications of the wear pattern are assessed for trimming and shoeing. 1.9. Any conditions requiring higher-level treatment are reported to other farriers or to veterinarians involved with hoof care as required. 1.10. The appropriate course of action is determined, and intended treatment regime is established, and implications are discussed with the client. |
2. Fabricate appropriate remedial or surgical shoes | 2.1. A range of appropriate remedial or surgical shoes is fabricated or modified to assist in the correction and/or alleviation and treatment for a wide range of horses and their conditions. |
3. Trim and repair feet | 3.1. Appropriate shoeing tools are used to safely trim and prepare feet to achieve balance, level and shape, and to correct any identified foot defects. 3.2. Trimming operations are conducted without injury to the horse's feet. 3.3. Hoof reconstruction procedures are performed where necessary. 3.4. Work is visually checked, while in progress and on completion, to ensure quality outcomes of foot preparation have been achieved. |
4. Fit shoes | 4.1. Correct type, material and size of shoes are selected according to the shoeing plan and modifications are made as required by the individual horse. 4.2. Appropriate tools are selected for the purpose of fitting shoes. 4.3. Selected shoes are shaped to incorporate any ancillary features as determined by the foot care and shoeing plan. 4.4. Shoes are fitted to fore and hind feet, and the need for any final adjustments is assessed. 4.5. Final adjustments are made to the shape and size of the shoe to achieve correct fit, with any ancillary features being added to the shoe as determined by the work requirements of the horse. 4.6. Health and safety of the horse, self and others is maintained throughout the process. |
5. Attach shoes and finish shoeing process | 5.1. Tools and nails are selected, suitable for attaching and clenching shoes. 5.2. The shoe is safely attached, securely and in the correct position, ensuring the relevant factors are taken into account. 5.3. The hoof is finished according to specification, and the finished job assessed along with the welfare of the horse. 5.4. The horse is trotted to identify any signs of improvement or lameness. 5.5. The responsible person is informed of actions taken, and advised on horse's future foot care requirements. 5.6. Appropriate records of service provided are maintained. |
Required Skills
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Required skills |
adhere to OHS and animal welfare legislation, regulations and codes of practice employ safe and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when working with and handling horses maintain highest standards of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and cross-infection maintain records as appropriate recognise and work within own limitations 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/or equipment use safe waste handling and disposal procedures work as part of a team with other professionals, including veterinarians. |
Required knowledge |
conformation, normal gait and abnormalities of gait and how the farrier can alleviate a range of severe faults and foot problems through shoeing effects of trimming on the stance and action of the horse general anatomy of the horse limits of safe trimming and why these must not be exceeded relevant legislation and codes of practice and personal responsibilities special requirements of foals and young horses safe work practices types of surgical horse shoes and modifications that may be made to address the needs of a horse with particular needs. |
Evidence Required
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: assess the shoeing needs of individual horses with particular needs that may be addressed by the farrier report conditions requiring higher-level treatment to other farrier or to veterinarians involved with hoof care as required discuss shoeing options with clients fabricate or modify a range of remedial or surgical shoes to assist in the correction and/or alleviation of a horse's problem select and fit appropriate pairs of shoes to horses exhibiting with chronic lameness, damage or engaged in particular sporting, working or other activities and assess quality of outcomes provide advice on future hoof care requirements and maintain records of service provided. The skills and knowledge required to accommodate special needs of particular horses through farriery techniques 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 horses for assessment and fitting of pairs of shoes as well as 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 case study analysis 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). |
Range Statement
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. | |
Risks to horse or handlers may include: | completing farriery tasks: applying fillers and other treatments cleaning and sharpening tools exposure to noise, dust, skin and eye irritants handling horses manual handling associated with working with tools and metal removing, replacing and fitting shoes trimming feet working with fire to shape shoes, shoe horses and weld working with hazardous items (e.g. electricity, heat, gas and other flammables) outside distractions: noise movement other animals vehicles uneducated, stressed or difficult horses. |
Restraints may include: | head collar or halter and lead muzzles anti-rearing bit chemical sedatives prescribed by and administered under the supervision of a veterinarian hobbles leg ropes twitch. Note: The majority of horses are quiet, easily managed and require no restraint. Where restraint is required it must be the minimum necessary and should always be determined through consultation with the owner or responsible person. |
Features ofgait and conformation may include: | gaits: walk trot pace canter gallop jump action characteristic actions of various breeds and types of horses common faults of the skeletal system, stance and their effects on gait common injuries of the muscular system and their effects on gait ideal action and alignment relationship of the conformation of the foot and limb to the way of going. |
Particular needs of individual horses may include: | horses used for special unusual or specific purposes: donkeys draught horses or carriage horses endurance hack and breed classes harness and thoroughbred racing horses Olympic disciplines polo and polocrosse specific breeds of horses (e.g. Shetland ponies) sporting events stage performances steeple chase events western events working horses needs of chronically lame or injured horses where hoof reconstruction may be required particular needs of the horse may be determined through consultation with: allied health service providers equine veterinarians owners, trainers, riders, drivers or grooms others condition of the foot should be assessed: with the shoe on with the shoe off. |
Particular needs of foals and young horses may include: | appropriate approach by the farrier to avoid the development of bad habits in the horse regular review to reflect growth and development foals having their feet attended for the first time should be halter-broken and have received some preliminary training, including experience in having their legs manipulated, feet picked up, standing on three legs and having their feet tapped with a hammer foals and young horses are not recommended to be shod although sometimes shoes may be glued to assist in conformational or injury problems foot care plan or service is developed which may include corrective trimming. |
Tools for removingand fitting shoes may include: | anvil buffer clenching tongs nail pullers pincers pritchel rasp shoe shaper shoeing hammer hot shoe tools: hot fit tongs water bucket and water. |
Relevant factors when assessing feet may include: | condition of the existing shoe condition of the hooves general condition of the horse temperament of the horse the approximate age of the horse the work that the horse will perform type of surface the horse will work on. |
Implications of wear pattern may include: | indicators of uneven weight bearing: variations in shoe thickness on ground contact surface uneven hoof wear shoe movement on foot indicators of stumbling or other forms of interference indicators of poor fit: presence of bruising or corns shoe is pressing on sensitive structures clenches have risen. |
Remedial or surgical shoes may include: | feather edged shoe shoe with pads three quarter bar shoe bar shoe bonded extension diamond toed shoe glue-on shoes heart bar shoe hospital plate lateral extension pattern rest remedial or surgical shoes rocker shoe seated out shoe shoe with set heel three quarter shoe. |
Toolsfor trimming feet may include: | hoof nippers or cutters rasp paring knife toe knife. |
Considerations required to safely trim and prepare feet may include: | growth rate of the shod versus the unshod hoof trimming aims achieve a level bearing surface and a normal pastern foot axis, it involves: study of the shape and proportions of the foot identification and correction of any defects balance of the foot in relation to the length of toe and height of heel adjusting any irregularities or unevenness in the bearing surface checking the balance of the foot in relation to the pastern foot axis determining how much hoof needs to be removed in relation to a range of conditions: achieving normal weight bearing in weak heels any problems noticed by owner in relation to break over of hoof or interference broken hoof and pastern angle correctly dressing the upright foot heels too high heels too low hoof wall reduction medial or lateral growth paring down the discoloured horn where there is a corn reducing the side of the wall that is too high until a level bearing surface is obtained in the case of a twisted foot removal of seedy toe and false quarter toe too long. |
Hoof trim considerations in relation to injury to the horse's feet may include: | a badly dressed foot is not only altered in shape but also in position relative to the leg, which in turn influences the action of the limb injury may occur through the following faults in dressing the foot: inadequate removal of excess hoof overparing the frog overparing the sole over-lowering the toe over-lowering the heels over-lowering the bearing surface uneven bearing surface opening up the heels rasping the wall and dumping the toe. |
Hoof reconstruction may be undertaken: | overtime and may include: reducing the side of the wall that is too high until a level bearing surface is obtained achieving normal weight bearing in weak heels removal of damaged hoof wall cleaning and debraiding the hoof wall applying acrylic or polyurethane composites using appropriate personal protective equipment including: face mask gloves. |
Quality outcomes of foot preparation may include: | achieve optimal conformational relationships between angles of leading wall of hoof line, long axis of pastern and angle of shoulder avoidance of reaching sensitive tissue checking angles and shape of foot the weight is evenly distributed over the foot toe clip is cut in balance with hoof shape if clip is required when viewed from behind, both heels are the same height and the base of the frog just touches the ground when viewed from the side, the toe, quarters and heels are proportionate and the pastern foot axis is in a straight line. |
Shoe selection considerations may include: | characteristics of the horse: assessment of horse's action conformation shape of its feet size and weight wear patterns of existing shoes work it performs shoe types in various sizes and weights fitted hot or cold: bar shoe diamond toed shoe egg bar shoe feather edged shoe graduated shoe heart bar shoe raised heels rocker bar shoe seated out shoe shoe with quarter clips, heel clips and/or side clips shoe with set heel side weights square toe three quarter bar shoe three quarter shoe other considerations in shoe selection Rules of Racing shoe requirements other sport and working horse requirements: breed requirements carriage and draught horse shoes endurance hacking, dressage mule or donkey shoes. polo and polocrosse showjumping, eventing, hunting working stock horse and western events. |
Ancillary features may include: | bar extra clip extra nail holes pads seating out shortening or lengthening heel stud holes. |
Final adjustments may include: | hot or cold shoes may be fitted: surface fitting, where the foot surface has to be adapted exactly to the bearing surface of the hoof outline fitting, which means adaptation of the shoe to the length and breadth of the hoof with the outer border of the shoe corresponding to the outline of the bearing surface checking and adjusting shoe to reduce the risk of: close fitting wide fitting checking length of shoe to assess if: heels are too long heels are too short. |
Relevant factors may include: | nailing on a shoe should avoid: nail bind pricks sole pressure holding horse's leg at a comfortable angle during nailing to: discourage horse from moving away during nailing enable horse to stand in a balanced position prevent injury to farrier due to poor manual handling techniques. |
Factors taken into account when finished job is assessed may include: | securing shoe to foot: using an appropriate number of nails to secure shoe selecting nails of appropriate size and length for hoof quality and shoe type setting nails in appropriate position around hoof nailing on the shoe in sequence clenches even, flat and broad, nails driven to standard height nails driven home, with heads fitting the countersinks with foot on the ground assess: front and hind feet are pairs, the same size and shape and the same pastern foot axis no excessive rasping of the wall no dumping of the wall (making the foot fit the shoe) clips low and broad and the toe clip centred with correct angle to the hoof wall shoe fits the outline of the foot and heels are of correct length with foot off the ground assess: no unnecessary paring of the frog and sole heels not opened up toe clip centred and in line with the point of the frog sole eased at the seat of corn no daylight between the foot and the shoe shoe fits the foot and the heels do not interfere with the function of the frog shoe is properly finished off horse shows no sign of lameness when trotted up. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Farriery |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.