This unit of competency supports race club employees authorised to brand standardbred horses.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Verify identification of horses.

1. Industry identification features are used to identify mare and foal.

2. Service certificates and other industry documentation are used to verify relationship of foal to declared parents.

3. Age of foal is estimated and compared with industry documentation.

Apply brand.

4. Animal is restrained for safety of foal, handler and branding officer .

5. Branding equipment is prepared.

6. Branding is applied using humane techniques .

7. Documentation is completed.

Required skills

applying freeze branding and maintaining freeze branding equipment

applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses, including techniques required to specifically handle and restrain mares and foals

catching, leading and handling a range of horses in a variety of environments

communicating with licensed or registered industry personnel and others using assertive communication techniques to gather, interpret and relay information related to performing freeze branding procedures

completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame

evaluating risks associated with horse handling

identifying horses using industry signalment and documents

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

appropriate methods of restraining horses

basic industry terminology related to horse identification and branding

industry documentation required for identifying, breeding, registering and branding standardbred horses

manufacturer specifications for the operation and maintenance of freeze branding equipment

procedures for registering and branding standardbred horses

protocols and procedures for communicating with licensed and other racing industry personnel

racing industry animal welfare requirements

racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures

range of behaviour traits exhibited by horses

relevant rules of racing

reporting requirements for irregularities and problems.

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 branding standardbred horses

implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient application of branding duties

working with others to undertake and complete procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time in a range of workplace-relevant contexts and include dealings with an appropriate range of situations.

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 horses

materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to perform branding procedures

safe handling areas such as commercial stables, 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.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

RGRCMN001A Comply with the rules of racing and related protocols

RGRPSH201A Handle horses.

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 brand standardbred horses. Workplaces include harness stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Identification features may include:

brands and other permanent skin or hair features

coat colour

face or body markings

hoof colour

leg markings

muscle indentations

permanent scars

sex

whorls.

Verifying relationship of foal to its parents may include:

blood type and/or DNA of sire and dam

colour and markings of sire and dam

date of birth of foal

date of service.

Age of foal estimate may involve:

reviewing characteristics to verify the declared age of the foal, including the following features:

condition score

eruption of teeth

length of mane and tail hair

shape and length of hooves.

Restrained for branding may include:

equipment or medication that can be used for restraint using humane and safe techniques, including:

chemical sedation supervised by a veterinarian

hobbles

nose twitch

physical restraints that must be applied using humane and safe techniques, including:

fitting halter or headcollar

handlers using their body to keep foal against mare's body, a wall or other object

handlers wrapping their arms around foal's body

handlers elevating foal's tail

handlers applying skin twitch

handlers raising one foreleg off the ground.

Considerations for safety of foal, handler and branding officer will include:

if restraints are not used, or are ill fitting or in poor condition, foals could:

suffer distress by struggling to get away from handler or brand

suffer strains, contusions or breaks if they get out of restraints

fall, be knocked over or burned if they move during application of brand

if restraints are not used, the following injuries could occur to handler or branding officer:

brand or cooling agent may burn after coming into contact with skin accidentally

injury by being bitten, kicked, pushed into a wall or knocked over by mare and/or foal

needlestick injury if chemical restraints are used

strain while trying to restrain foal.

Branding equipment may include:

authority approved branding irons, including alpha angle sequence and stud brand (if required)

clippers for removing hair prior to branding

coolant to super cool brands

gloves and goggles to protect branding officer

insulated containers suitable for storage and application of coolant to brands.

Considerations for humane techniques will include:

avoiding bony features of the body when applying brands

cooling and applying brands for an appropriate length of time for foals or young horses

ensuring minimal stress is suffered by the animal during preparation, restraint and application of brand

keeping foal or young horse with mother if possible to reduce separation anxiety

monitoring foal after application of brands and release from restraints to ensure health status

restraining animal for no longer than minimum time required to complete the job

using chemical sedation under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon to ensure dose rate and chemical used is suitable for foals or young horses

using restraining equipment that is in good condition and fits the animal to avoid foal escaping due to equipment malfunction and/or injury

using restraining techniques that are suitable for use on foals and young horses.

Documentation to be completed will include:

description and drawing of brands applied

registration papers with foal descriptions completed and verified

report of all foals or horses inspected and branded.

Unit Sector

Harness racing code

This unit contains employability skills.