This unit of competency supports senior stablehands, trainers and others authorised to participate in implementing exercise programs for racehorses.

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.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Basic fitness to race requirements for racehorses are determined.

1. Fitness and health of individual horses are profiled.

2. Methods used to evaluate performance are described and implemented.

3. Indicators of poor adaptation to training program are identified.

4. Factors affecting performance for individual horses are evaluated.

Implement training program.

5. Stages of training programs for individual horses are determined.

6. Methods used to condition horses are evaluated.

7. Racing jargon and individual trainer terminology are clarified.

8. Daily, weekly and longer-term conditioning and education plans are interpreted.

9. Information on daily training plan is relayed to others according to individual responsibility.

Review horse performance.

10. Trackwork, and trial or race performance is reported and results are compared with current fitness and education status.

11. Status of horse is reported post-exercise, trial or race.

12. Performance and behaviour records are updated.

13. Methods and equipment used to improve performance are evaluated.

14. Methods used to manage individual horse's temperament and behaviour are evaluated.

Review race performance.

15. Horse's recovery is assessed .

16. Race performance is assessed.

17. Future race and training plans are prepared.

Required skills

communicating with trainer, staff, horse health specialists and others to gather and relay information related to implementing exercise programs for horses

complying with animal welfare policies when assisting in the management of horses in race preparation

complying with directions of officials and rules of racing

dealing with emergencies

ensuring OHS workplace procedures are followed

following trainer's conditioning and training program for individual horses

identifying positive and negative responses to exercise

identifying benefits and disadvantages of various methods of exercising and conditioning horses for racing

investigating possible causes of poor performance

monitoring horse behaviour and response to exercise and reporting to trainer

predicting potential impact of factors that can affect performance in horses

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

written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge

common illnesses and injuries of racing horse

communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry

industry terminology related to preparing horses for racing

OHS obligations and racing industry safe operating procedures

racing industry animal welfare requirements

roles and responsibilities of trainers, staff and officials in the care, exercise and management of racehorses

rules of racing

signs and symptoms of normal and distressed behaviour in horses

stable protocols and procedures for pre and post-exercise or race care of horses

stages of fitness and skill development that racehorses must undergo before they are ready to race

types of conditioning and training programs for racehorses.

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 training, trialling and racing horses

demonstration of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient implementation, evaluation and modification of exercise programs for racehorses

working with others to implement and complete 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, track and race meeting environments.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to horses that are being educated and trained in a commercial racing stable under the care of a licensed trainer and the required resources. 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 that are currently in training

commercial racing training establishments, and training and racetracks

materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to monitor and record trackwork and racing performance and relay information on training and racing horses to trainer, staff and specialists

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.

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.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

RGRPSH304A Identify factors that affect racehorse performance

RGRPSH308A Provide first aid and emergency care for horses

RGRPSH309A Implement feeding programs for racehorses under direction.

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).

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 participate in implementing racehorse exercise programs. Workplaces include harness or thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Methods used to evaluate performance include:

horse has maintained or varied body weight

horse's recovery after exercise by monitoring vital signs, for example:

heart rate

respiratory rate

horse's behaviour in stables and during work

horse's adaptation to workload, including:

ability to continue working without signs of soreness

eating up feed and drinking adequate quantity of water

trackwork, trial and race times.

Indicators of poor adaptation include:

blood results

development of undesirable behaviour patterns, including:

bolting

box walking

jibbing

kicking or biting staff or other horses

refusing or unwilling when asked to work

refusing to enter or remain in start stalls

refusing to work with other horses

weaving

lameness

reluctance to eat

slow times compared to other horses of same stage of development

slow recovery rates (vital signs)

weight loss.

Factors affecting performance may include:

age

conformation and overall soundness

experience of and adaptation to living in a racing environment

gender, for example:

colt

filly

previous injuries

providing enough time between increases in workload to allow adaptation of body systems

track conditions

training methods

type and intensity of work

willingness of horse to compete against others.

Stages of training programs may include:

breaking in

first preparation

barrier training

preparing for specialist race type or distance

ready to trial

ready to race

returning after injury

returning after spell.

Methods used to condition horses may include:

beach work

hacking out

hill work

jogging behind a vehicle

lunging

riding (harness)

swimming

trackwork

treadmills or walking machines.

Racing jargon may include:

common and trainer-specific terms used to describe:

conformation and anatomical features

horse illnesses and injuries

horse behaviour:

during exercise or racing

relating to its adaptation to a racing lifestyle

when being handled

when in the stable

horse's fitness

race programs

race types, distances and classes

racing calendar

racing officials

rules of racing

trackwork types, times and distances.

Daily training plan may include:

educational activities, such as:

developing horse's confidence to work close to or move past other horses

exposing horse to racing situations, such as:

barrier training or jump outs (thoroughbred)

mobile start equipment (harness)

score-up (harness)

standing start (harness)

direction of work

distance and time in various paces

type of work, for example:

swimming

track

walking machine

working alone or with other horses.

Status of horse may include:

bleeding from:

external injury

nostrils

when urinating

blowing too much or for too long after exercise or not appearing to be stressed by workload

heat in limbs

horse completed planned work and appears to have recovered from effort without problem

horse overworked due to inability to control

horse refused to work

horse started to work, stopped then reluctant to move, suggesting possible metabolic, digestive or cardiovascular disorder

horse unable to complete planned work

lame

soreness or tenderness in limbs or other body parts

sound

sweating too much or not enough

swelling in limbs.

Methods and equipment may include:

methods:

increasing or reducing workload

spelling horse

working horse in different surroundings

working horse on different surfaces

working horse using non-racing programs, such as equestrian activities

equipment:

bandages

bits

blinkers or pacifiers

boots

ear muffs

girth types and covers

head check

hobble length

lighter or heavier rider, driver, saddle or vehicle

lugging pole (harness)

martingale

nosebands

shadow rolls.

Horse's recovery is assessed by:

monitoring horse's temperature, pulse and respiration

checking for heat or swelling after cool down

checking for signs of injury after race

checking horse movement and behaviour during exercise 48 hours post-race and after strenuous exercise

monitoring horse response to exercise in week post-race and after strenuous exercise

monitoring horse's eating and drinking habits 24 hours post-race and after strenuous exercise

reviewing horse's behaviour for signs of distress or pain.

Race performance may include:

comparing quality of race field to nominated horse

considering horse's current fitness and education

considering race incidents and track and weather conditions that affected nominated horse's performance

expected race place compared to actual

race winner time compared to nominated horse time

reviewing race video for performance in various stages of race

rider or driver comments

track record for race distance.

Unit Sector

Harness and thoroughbred racing codes

This unit contains employability skills.