Application
This unit of competency supports experienced, licensed trackwork riders authorised to educate thoroughbred horses for racing. This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit. |
Prerequisites
Ride horses at trackwork | ||
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Evaluate horses' education and implement training plan. | 1. Education program is planned and discussed with trainer. 2. Principles of horse learning are applied. 3. Balance and tractability of horses are developed. 4. Trackwork is introduced and horses are worked individually and with other horses at controlled paces . 5. Remedial training techniques and gear are employed when required. |
Introduce horses to practice barriers. | 6. Arrangements to use practice barriers are confirmed. 7. Horses are entered into and ridden from practice barriers in a safe manner . 8. Common barrier problems are identified, rectified and reported to trainer. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses communicating with trainer, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to educating horses for racing developing balance and tractability of horses employing strategies to control horses evaluating horse education evaluating horse performance evaluating risks associated with working with horses judging pace and identifying pace at which horse is working following instructions of trainer and working autonomously when necessary with regard to riding horses at trackwork identifying and rectifying barrier problems identifying and using remedial training gear identifying, and incorporating into training the principles of horse learning identifying behaviour of individual horses planning a horse education program 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 reporting horse performance and wellbeing to trainer riding horses into and from barriers riding trackwork written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports. |
Required knowledge |
approved gear barrier operation communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry common racehorse behaviour traits common barrier problems effective working relationships, including teamwork horse education programs industry terminology personal protective equipment racing industry animal welfare requirements racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures relevant rules of racing remedial gear training plans. |
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: identification of horse behaviour and movement that could potentially affect horse performance in training and racing evaluation of potential for further improvement or progression in training when deciding if there is a benefit in continuing, particularly with re-education knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when educating thoroughbred horses for racing demonstration of effective horse handling skills (including corrective techniques) that comply with animal welfare directives implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient provision of horse education selection and application of appropriate, effective and humane techniques to correct or modify behaviour and performance of horses being prepared for thoroughbred racing working with others to undertake 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 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 thoroughbred horses materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to educate horses for racing safe handling and work 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 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, 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. |
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 assess a candidate's ability to educate thoroughbred horses for racing. Workplaces include thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas. | |
Planning an education program will include: | discussions with trainer duration of training program degree of training covering pre-training at long, slow distance work and faster work fast or slow morning's work reporting horse performance to trainer. |
Principles of horse learning include: | bonding conditioned response dominance habituation sensitisation stimulus and response submissive behaviour. |
Development of balance and tractability will include: | older horses requiring re-education young horses that have been broken in and are preparing for training. |
Factors to consider when horses are worked with other horses at controlled paces will include: | coping with change of pace from trot, canter and half pace during workouts maintaining safe width space and length between horses moving outside or inside other horses without altering action or baulking moving smoothly from slow canter to faster striding work remaining balanced and travelling on the bit rules and regulations of the track working past gaps without deviating working quietly with other horses or on its own working with confidence with other horses. |
Factors to consider when remedial training techniques are employed may include: | condition of teeth individual horse behaviour, including: bolting climbing head throwing inattention to use of aids opening mouth shying whipping around possible soreness, for example: back feet hindquarters limbs. |
Gear required for remedial training may include: | barrier blankets bits blindfolds blinkers ear muffs nosebands pacifiers rings shadow rolls. |
Arrangements to use practice barriers will include: | confirming availability of practice barriers with gap attendant or other authorised track personnel confirming trainer requirements for barrier practice following local track rules and regulations regarding barrier use requesting barrier assistant to check smooth operation of front and rear gates before introducing horse to barriers. |
Safe manner will include: | ensuring barrier training is conducted when ground is suitable and not slippery identifying hazards associated with barrier training and applying risk control measures, including adhering to safe operating procedures considering variables that influence behaviour of horses, such as: fences and equipment other persons or animals vehicles wind and noise identifying emergency situations, for example: horse injury loose horse rider injury identifying and reporting unsafe work practices wearing personal protective equipment understanding individual horse's behaviour using approved gear in good repair using barriers when there is minimal horse traffic in the immediate area using graduated procedures to accustom horse to barriers, including: walking horse through gates on first occasion before re-entering and closing front and rear gates accustoming horse to barrier and gate noises while standing calmly in barriers trotting horses from barriers before attempting faster exits jumping from barriers and riding at controlled canter jumping smartly from barriers and working strongly as permitted in available space. |
Common barrier problems may include: | horse laying back on gate horse laying on sides of stall horse burrowing horse sitting down horse refusing horse pulling back horse straddling front of stalls. |
Sectors
Unit Sector | Thoroughbred racing code |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor