Application
This unit of competency supports senior stablehands, leading hands, trainers and others authorised to manage horse health and welfare. 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 |
Plan horse health and emergency care procedures. | 1. Health and emergency care protocols and programs are developed and relayed to staff. 2. Horses are housed in suitable and approved premises that are maintained to health and safety standards specified by rules of racing and other regulations . 3. Health status of individual horses is assessed. 4. Characteristics, signs and symptoms of healthy and sick or injured horses are reviewed. 5. Communicable diseases are identified and control measures implemented. 6. Signs and symptoms of distressed or injured horses are identified and prioritised. |
Undertake health management programs for horses. | 7. Dental health programs are overseen. 8. Vaccination programs are implemented. 9. Parasite control programs are implemented. 10. Hoof maintenance programs are overseen. 11. Health records are compiled and updated. |
Decide upon treatment for horses. | 12. Health care and management are determined. 13. Prognosis for common illnesses and injuries is discussed. 14. Need for veterinary assistance is determined. 15. Need for specialist advice is determined. 16. Treatment options are evaluated and preferred option is selected for common injuries and illnesses. |
Administer treatment and monitor horse's progress. | 17. Medication or treatments are administered according to stable procedures, directions, and industry and animal welfare regulations. 18. Methods of administering medication, recording treatment and monitoring injectible medication are known. 19. Oral medication is administered. 20. Topical medication is administered. 21. Inhalants are administered. 22. Horses are bandaged. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
applying OHS workplace procedures applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses administering medication and treatments assessing vital signs of horses assessing and responding to illnesses or injuries in horses calming and restraining horses communicating with employer, stable staff, horse health specialists and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to managing health and welfare of horses complying with animal welfare policies in the care and management of horses developing health and emergency care protocols and programs dealing with emergencies discussing treatment options evaluating risks associated with catching and handling horses giving and receiving instructions identifying behaviour of individual horses identifying and using different treatments in accordance with directions identifying illnesses and injuries incorporating safe work practices into all horse handling activities 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 written communication skills to compile and maintain horse health records and associated procedural documentation. |
Required knowledge |
appropriate horse housing communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry common horse behaviour, social traits and vices common illnesses and injuries in horses dental programs effective working relationships, including teamwork emergency protocols and quarantine measures handling techniques for horses horse first aid horse health record systems hoof maintenance programs methods of restraining horses parasite programs prohibited substances racing industry animal welfare requirements racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures relevant rules of racing signs and symptoms of communicable diseases types of medication and treatments vaccination programs. |
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 managing horse health and welfare implementation of procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient provision of horse health and welfare working with others to implement and complete horse health and welfare procedures that meet required outcomes consistent timely completion of horse health and welfare management procedures that safely, effectively and efficiently 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 manage horse health and welfare safe handling areas, such as racing stables 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 inspection of completed work simulation exercises conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment. 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: RGRCMN401A Maintain and monitor OHS procedures and 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 manage horse health and welfare. Workplaces include harness and thoroughbred racing stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas. | |
Health and emergency care protocols may include: | advice to other organisations, as required by rules and regulations horse management: comprehensive record keeping routine health checks equipment and gear cleanliness handling and monitoring horses hazard identification maintaining first aid and treatments stores notifiable diseases permissible medication and treatments quarantine measures veterinary or specialist advice and assistance stable and yard cleanliness risk control measures: controlling insects and rodents disinfection and hygiene measures fire drills health programs isolation or quarantine of sick horses monitoring movement of horses vaccinations and boosters waste disposal staff management: access to and administration of treatments communication procedures emergency drills literacy and numeracy skills training. |
Situations requiring emergency care may include: | acute illness, for example colic arterial blood loss communicable disease electric shock fracture fire trauma, including track or road accident. |
Rules of racing and other regulations may include: | Australian and local rules of racing of the state or territory regulatory racing body Livestock Act local government regulations, for example: buildings disposal of waste national and state codes of practice; federal, state and territory legislation; and local government regulations covering animal welfare OHS legislation and regulations race club and training track regulations rules of racing related to prohibited substances, including substances listed below as well as other items defined by racing regulatory authority from time to time: 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. |
Health status of individual horses is assessed: | by routine health checks prior to travelling or racing upon first entering stables when illness or injury is suspected. |
Methods to assess health status of individual horses may include: | checking for: illness or injury shock or distress lameness soreness checking quality and quantity of manure and urine feeling for heat or swelling monitoring feed and water intake monitoring vital signs observing behaviour. |
Communicable diseases may include: | anthrax equine influenza glanders hendra virus Japanese encephalitis rattles ringworm salmonellosis strangles. |
Indicators of communicable diseases may include: | blisters, ulceration or erosions dead horses nervousness or other behaviour changes profuse, bloody diarrhoea rapid spread of signs and symptoms throughout stable recent overseas contact unexplained lethargy, listlessness or depression unusually high numbers of sick horses severe hacking cough. |
Health records information will include: | dates and times of: arrival at stables assessing vital signs illness or injury treatments and vaccinations features of horse identification name of horse name of person administering treatment prescribed treatments administered treatment instructions vital signs at rest. |
Health care and management may include: | administration of treatments communication procedures when horses are treated disease prevention and control emergency care emergency phone numbers, for example veterinarian or 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. |
Common illnesses or injuries may include: | illnesses: circulatory disorders eye, nose and mouth disorders digestive disorders metabolic disorders musculo-skeletal disorders neurological disorders respiratory disorders skin disorders injuries: bruises falls girth galls joint injuries sprained ligaments or tendons strained muscles tack rubs wounds. |
Need for veterinary assistance may include: | horse may: be insured have to be treated with racing competition 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. |
Specialists may include: | chiropractors dentists farriers massage therapists veterinary surgeons. |
Treatment options may include: | acupuncture chiropractic exercise, for example walking or swimming hydrotherapy ice and heat laser massage pharmaceutical rest ultrasound. |
Injectible medication may be given: | by adhering to animal welfare guidelines in accordance with rules of racing intramuscular intravenous intra-articular subcutaneous under veterinary supervision. |
Injectible medication considerations include: | alcohol swabs correct dosage of medication cleanliness of surroundings enlisting help of assistant fitting restraints, for example bit or twitch injection site injection type: antibiotics vaccinations vitamins method of injection to suit prescribed treatment needle gauge race meeting blood samples procedure for loading syringe preparing horse, for example skin swabbing or tapping record keeping rules of racing sterile needles and syringes sharps container syringe disposal using only veterinary-prescribed substances. |
Inhalants may include: | oxygen prescribed veterinary treatments steam. |
Sectors
Unit Sector | Harness and thoroughbred racing codes |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor