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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare to educate a horse to driving
   • Assess current level of education, health status and behaviour of the horse
   • Confirm client needs and requirements and develop education plan for individual horse
   • Prepare safe, secure and controlled facilities and environment to conduct each stage of the education program
   • Identify hazards and control potential risks to safety of handler/s and horse/s
   • Select and correctly fit personal protective equipment (PPE)
   • Determine if the assistance of another handler is required based on risk assessment of the horse
2. Mouth the horse
   • Select appropriate tack to suit horse
   • Familiarise horse with tack in preparation for driving
   • Apply selected tack correctly to ensure comfort and fit
   • Mouth the horse and educate to respond to long-reining, directional aids and communication cues
3. Educate horse for driving
   • Introduce the horse to specific equipment and tack required for intended purpose according to education plan
   • Attach harnessed horse to cart or objects to drag safely, ensuring correct fit
   • Develop horse confidence in tasks using appropriate education techniques to ensure horse welfare at all times
   • Recognise and respond appropriately to signs of stress or fatigue in horse being educated
4. Consolidate horse education
   • Accustom horse to be driven at different paces and respond to the driver's cues
   • Expose and familiarise horse to a range of appropriate environments after assessing potential risks to self, others and horse
   • Build horse confidence and reinforce level of education required for intended driving purpose
5. Apply reward-based horse education methodology
   • Apply education techniques consistently to reinforce horse learning
   • Recognise and apply positive reinforcement to the horse for progress towards desired behaviours
   • Use appropriate techniques to manage behaviour and performance according to current equine learning theory and to ensure wellbeing of the horse
   • Assess horse acceptance of education for client's needs, and provide feedback