Application
This unit of competency supports stablehands, foremen, trainers and others authorised to provide first aid and emergency care for horses. Competencies attained in this unit apply to the harness and thoroughbred codes of the industry. Consequently when performance criteria are applied they will relate to the harness or thoroughbred code and statements of attainment will reflect this distinction. This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Recognise and report signs of ill health or injury in horses. | 1. Temperature, pulse and respiration are measured and recorded . 2. Hydration levels and capillary refill are observed and reported . 3. Signs of common illnesses in horses are identified and reported. 4. Signs of shock in horses are identified and reported. 5. Signs of common injuries in horses are identified and reported. |
Assess illnesses or injuries in horses. | 6. Incident site is inspected and assessed prior to helping horses. 7. First aid policy and procedures with respect to obligations to owners, state regulations, stable policy and duty of care are followed. 8. Referral procedures for injury treatment and emergency care are followed. 9. Horses are calmed and restrained and risks are identified. 10. Threat to life of illness or injury is considered and plan of action is determined. |
Apply basic first aid to horses. | 11. Restraints are used to prevent further injury or to apply first aid to horses. 12. Wounds are cleaned and protected from further contamination or injury. 13. Swelling is controlled . 14. Bandages are applied for management of bleeding, swelling, wounds and possible fractures. 15. Horses are nursed to reduce impact of shock, distress and pain. 16. Horse behaviour and vital signs are monitored and observations recorded. |
Respond to hoof and leg illnesses and injuries. | 17. Feet and legs are inspected for signs of injury, soreness or foreign bodies . 18. Common injuries and ailments to hooves, feet and legs are identified. 19. Poultice is applied . 20. Condition and fit of horse shoes are assessed. |
Assess health and fitness of horses. | 21. Pre and post-race assessment of horse for injuries, distress, health and fitness is implemented. 22. Pharmaceutical or therapeutic treatments are applied under trainer or veterinary instructions and supervision. 23. Rules relating to prohibited substances and alternative treatments are known and applied. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses applying basic first aid to horses applying quarantine control measures for isolation of sick horses and prevention of transference of disease by horses, other animals and humans assessing vital signs of horses assessing and responding to injuries in horses calming and restraining horses communicating with employer, supervisor, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to providing horses with first aid and emergency care evaluating risks associated with catching, handling and restraining horses following instructions of supervisor identifying behaviour of individual horses identifying and correctly using different treatments under supervision identifying common illnesses and injuries in horses incorporating safe operating procedures into all instructions providing assistance to others in the workplace reporting horse irregularities to stable nominated person 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 handling and providing treatment to horses in the appropriate manner using numeracy skills to measure vital signs written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports. |
Required knowledge |
basic industry terminology related to handling and treating horses communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry common horse behaviour, social traits and vices common illnesses and injuries in horses disease control and reporting requirements effective working relationships, including teamwork handling techniques for horses horse first aid methods of restraining horses racing industry animal welfare requirements racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures relevant rules of racing signs of shock in horses signs of lameness in horses types of treatments. |
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. | |
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 providing first aid and emergency care for horses implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient provision of first aid and emergency care for horses working with others to undertake and complete first aid and emergency care 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 the required resources or simulated environment approved by the relevant State Principal Racing Authority. 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 materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to provide first aid and emergency care for horses safe handling areas, such as racing stables, and training and racetracks 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 simulation exercises conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment. Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: RGRCMN201A Follow OHS procedures and observe environmental work practices. |
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 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 provide first aid and emergency care for horses. Workplaces include harness and thoroughbred racing stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas. | |
Measuring and recording may include: | measuring rectal temperature with mercury and digital thermometers writing diary entries for temperature in degrees centigrade measuring heart rate over 30 seconds, then calculating in beats per minute writing diary entries for heart rate in beats per minute measuring respiration in breaths per minute writing diary entries for respiration in breaths per minute. |
Hydration level reporting methods may include: | verbal and diary entry of observation of neck skin pinch rebound time measured in seconds verbal and diary entry of observation of capillary refill time measured in seconds. |
Common illnesses may include: | circulatory disorders eye, nose and mouth disorders, including: bleeding conjunctivitis ulcers digestive disorders, including: colic diarrhoea or scouring metabolic disorders: exertional rhabdomyolosis (tying up) thumps musculo-skeletal disorders: back soreness knocked down hip shin soreness respiratory disorders, including: exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) respiratory infections travel sickness skin disorders, including: girth galls rain scald ringworm whither sores. |
Causes for shock may include: | colic extensive wounds fractured limbs loss of blood snakebite traumatic accidents, for example hit by car. |
Common injuries may include: | bruises falls girth galls joint injuries over-reaching scalping speedy cutting sprained ligaments or tendons strained muscles tack rubs wounds. |
Incident site may be inspected and assessed to identify: | potential hazards for illness or injury of horses or people, including: building or facility damage crush or impact hazards electrocution hazards slip, trip or fall hazards toxic substances rescue equipment required, including: restraints ropes winches rescue specialist assistance requirements: emergency services veterinary assistance animal health specialist services. |
First aid policy and procedures may include: | administration of treatments communication procedures when horses are treated disease prevention and control emergency care emergency phone numbers, for example veterinarian and fire department permissible treatments procedure for recording treatments procedure for recording and reporting vital signs routine health checks replenishing supplies of first aid kits system of referral for injury treatment staff access to first aid treatments and materials. |
Reasons referral to a specialist may be necessary include: | horse may: be insured have to be treated with race day or non-race day prohibited substances have to be withdrawn from competition require prescription medication require stitching or specialist injury management or treatment illness may be: contagious condition notifiable disease passed on to humans illness or injury may be: life threatening or have consequences to ongoing career of horse result of neglect or non-compliance with duty of care. |
Horses may be restrained using: | bit and head collar or bridle crush leg lift skin pinch twitch. |
Risks associated with handling horses may include: | bites horse injury kicks personal injury trampling. |
Controlling risks associated with handling horses may include: | adhering to responsibilities under OHS legislation and workplace practices adhering to responsibilities under national and state codes of practice; federal, state and territory legislation; and local government regulations covering animal welfare considering variables that influence behaviour of horses, such as : fences and equipment other persons or animals vehicles wind and noise contributing to development of risk control measures following safe operating procedures identifying and reporting unsafe work practices identifying emergency situations, for example: gear breakage horse getting loose understanding individual horse behaviour wearing personal protective equipment. |
Basic first aid may include: | applying bandages for: controlling bleeding and swelling drawing out foreign bodies or pus splinting wound protection cleaning wounds controlling bleeding managing shock nursing sick, in pain or anxious horses observing behaviour signs and symptoms of illness and injury preventing where possible further injury or spread of disease providing clean, warm or cool shelter out of inclement weather quarantining sick horses removing where possible cause of illness or injury restraining an injured or cast horse to prevent further injury taking and monitoring vital signs treating swelling and inflammation. |
First aid equipment may include: | antiseptic creams, lotions or sprays bandages and wound dressings infection control items inflammation and swelling control items, including: cold hosing icepacks pressure bandaging poultices scissors wound cleaning solutions. |
Wounds are cleaned with consideration to: | options for treatment when animal is in pain or reluctant to stand still possible requirement for stitching of wound potential for infection presence of foreign bodies or internal damage. |
Swelling can be controlled by: | cold water therapy: hosing whirlpool boots walking in cold water ice therapy: ice boots icepacks using available sources, such as frozen peas or ice blocks pressure bandaging. |
Nursing may include: | adjusting rugs to ensure adequate warmth keeping horse quiet and calm monitoring vital signs and behaviour regularly sponging or hosing to lower temperature. |
Signs of injury, soreness or foreign bodies in horse's feet may include: | distorted shape or angle of limbs favouring a leg heat irregular movement in some or all gaits reluctance to allow leg or foot to be handled reluctance to move resting a foot swelling visible object in foot. |
Types of injuries and ailments to hooves, feet and legs may include: | capped hocks corns laminitis loose shoe navicular disease sand cracks seedy toe shin soreness sole bruise and abscess thrush. |
Application of poultice may include: | selecting drawing agent, including: commercial preparations herbal or other treatments heat treatment applying protective covering, such as: paper, plastic or other layers adhesive bandages and bandage cover poultice boots sole protectors. |
Condition and fit of horse shoes would include: | shoes display even wear shoe seated along hoof wall avoiding pressure on bars and sole shoes firmly fitted to hoof, and nails tight enough to ensure shoe fit is stable shoe removed if considered likely to cause further damage by: identifying and describing function of shoeing tools required to remove a loose shoe lifting and holding front and back legs in safe and appropriate position to remove shoe removing shoe using personal protective equipment, appropriate tools and techniques by: loosening and removing nail clenches removing shoe with minimal damage to hoof wall shoes shaped to fit hoof. |
Pre and post-race assessment must include: | pre-race assessment: assessing vital signs checking horse for illnesses and injuries checking feed and water intake checking manure quantity and quality checking shoe wear and fit observing behaviour post-race assessment: black eyes epistaxis horse's recovery rate heat stress hydration limb injuries or heat or swelling muscle soreness shifting or sprung plates. |
Pharmaceutical or therapeutic treatments may include: | pharmaceutical: antibiotics and other anti-infective agents antiparasitics prescribed medications inhalants injectibles oral medications and pastes poultices topical medications vaccines therapeutic : acupuncture chiropractic electromagnetic exercise hydrotherapy ice and heat laser massage rest ultrasound. |
Rules include: | Australian and local rules of racing of the state or territory regulatory racing body. |
Prohibited substances include: | substances listed below as well as other items defined by racing regulatory authority from time to time, including: acidifying agents alkalising agents analgesics antihistamines anti-inflammatory agents bronchodilators buffering agents diuretics general and local anaesthetics hormones muscle relaxants narcotics respiratory stimulants sedatives tranquillisers vasodilators vitamins administered by injection. |
Sectors
Unit Sector | Harness and thoroughbred racing codes |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor