Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to handle, educate, and ride horses to muster, move, separate, and check livestock, and care for horses and equipment.
There are potential risks associated with working with and around horses and livestock.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare, biosecurity requirements and sustainability practices.
All units of competency dealing with animals in the AHC Training Package have the requirements for animals to be handled humanely to minimise stress and discomfort.
This unit applies to experienced workers in the livestock industry who use horses to muster and check stock on a grazing enterprise. It is normally carried out independently according to enterprise procedures.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Prepare horses for work | 1.1 Select, use and maintain appropriate personal protective equipment 1.2 Select, muster, or bring from paddock, and assess the suitability of the horse for the task 1.3 Catch and handle horses safely and humanely 1.4 Check horse’s health, soundness, and fitness level to ensure they are capable to complete the work required 1.5 Select, check, and maintain working equipment, if required 1.6 Groom horse prior to exercise or work 1.7 Fit working gear to individual horse |
2. Educate horses for stock work | 2.1 Identify, assess risks, and implement risk controls associated with horse riding and horse education 2.2 Assess the horse’s current level of education 2.3 Educate horse to calmly carry out required movements for working stock, including stops, turns, and rollbacks 2.4 Educate horse to work and control a mob of livestock as a whole 2.5 Educate horse to safely handle a single beast and to return it to the mob safely 2.6 Educate horse to separate a beast from a mob as required 2.7 Educate horse to calmly accept a stock whip being used by the rider as required by the workplace/enterprise 2.8 Educate horse to work with working dogs where required by enterprise 2.9 Utilise agreed emergency procedures when educating green horses in required safety movements (i.e. one rein stops) |
3. Ride horses to carry out stock work | 3.1 Interpret work program to determine work to be undertaken and, where necessary, confirm with management 3.2 Select horses for the task 3.3 Catch and handle horses safely and humanely 3.4 Practice and reinforce education of horse while carrying out routine stock work 3.5 Re-educate horse where necessary and correct any vices 3.6 Utilise agreed emergency procedures when educating green horses in required safety movements (i.e. one rein stops) |
4. Provide post ride care and maintain saddlery and equipment | 4.1 Remove gear and groom, wash and or clean horse as required 4.2 Water and feed horse in line with workplace policy 4.3 Release horse to appropriate enclosure, paddock, or yard 4.4 Check, clean, maintain, and store working gear 4.5 Repair working gear, as required 4.6 Apply enterprise biosecurity and sustainability policies |
5. Monitor horse health and condition | 5.1 Monitor horses as a part of daily routines to identify signs of ill health, injury, and poor condition 5.2 Muster or catch horses in need of attention, and report and record condition in line with enterprise procedures 5.3 Administer prescribed treatments for common ailments, under supervision of the veterinarian or manager 5.4 Safely check horse’s legs and feet, safely clean out feet, and correctly identify lameness and potential causes for lameness 5.5 Organise shoeing where required |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.
The candidate must provide evidence that they can:
identify work health and safety hazards and implement safe work procedures
use calm and humane methods to minimise undue stress and risk to horses, handlers, and livestock
handle and prepare horses for riding
monitor health and condition of horses
identify signs of ill health, injury, or poor condition and administer basic treatments
handle horse safely and humanely
ride educated and green horses
utilise agreed emergency procedures when riding
educate green uneducated horses in required safety movements? (i.e. one rein stops)
educate horses to:
calmly carry out required movements for working stock, including stops, turns, and rollbacks
work and control a mob of livestock as a whole
safely handle a single beast and to return it to the mob safely
separate a beast from a mob, as required
calmly accept a stockwhip being used by the rider as required by workplace
work with working dogs where required by enterprise
prepare the horse for work
ride and control the horse to check, muster, and move livestock as part of property operations while not compromising animal welfare
minimise stress on horses and livestock when checking, mustering and moving livestock
assess and monitor horse behaviour and take corrective action if required
carry out basic hoof care and cleaning
select and maintain saddlery and equipment
identify common horse ailments
develop a working relationship with the horse or horses in their care relevant to animal welfare requirements
handle horses for routine procedures
maintain saddlery and horse equipment
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
common horse genders, colours, markings, and other identifying features
horse movement and behavioural characteristics, and learning theories
livestock behaviour and how this is utilised to minimise stress for horse and livestock
relevant workplace procedures, industry standards, and guidelines for horse riding and riding safety (lunging riding in a yard before outside, one rein stops)
approaches to horse education for stock work and associated learning theories
describe basic care husbandry and management procedures for horses
common signs of unsoundness, injury disease, work stress, or other disorders in horses
basic anatomy and physiology of the horse
use of horses for workplace operations
care and maintenance of working gear
horse conformation and work readiness or level of education
horse handling and riding techniques
relevant legislation and enterprise procedures, animal health and welfare, and work health and safety
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace, OR workplace and a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessments must be conducted using educated and green uneducated live horses and livestock in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical tasks experienced in the job role.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Livestock (LSK)