Application
This unit of competency supports stablehands, strappers, trainers and others authorised to strap horses for race meetings and trials. 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 |
Prepare horses for race meeting or trial. | 1. Horses are prepared prior to race meeting or trial according to instructions. 2. Race gear is selected and packed according to instructions. 3. Workplace requirements for personal presentation are followed. |
Attend race meetings or trials. | 4. Instructions from officials are followed. 5. Pre-race or pre-trial duties for care of horses are demonstrated. 6. Horses are groomed prior to race or trial. 7. Assistance is provided in saddlingor harnessing horses. 8. Horses are paraded prior to race. |
Provide post-race or post-trial care of horses. | 9. Post-race or post-trial procedures are completed according to race result. 10. Horses are inspected for injury and cooled-down according to stable routine. 11. Horses and gear are prepared for return to stables according to instructions. 12. Horses are returned to stables and re-checked for post-race injury. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
assisting with saddling or harnessing process applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses caring for horses cooling down horses communicating with employer, supervisor, trainer, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to attending horses at race meetings and trials following instructions of trainer and working autonomously when necessary with regard to attending horses for race meetings and trials following stable procedures grooming horses identifying race gear identifying and using grooming tools identifying irregularities with horses parading horses preparing horses for race meetings performing post-race procedures 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 reporting irregularities with horse or gear to trainer. |
Required knowledge |
communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry common racehorse behaviour traits common race injuries effective working relationships, including teamwork industry terminology irregularities with horses and gear personal presentation post-race procedures pre-race duties racing industry animal welfare requirements racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures race gear relevant rules of racing saddling or harnessing procedures. |
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 strapping horses for race meetings and trials implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient attendance of horses at race meetings and trials working with others to undertake and complete strapping duties that meet required outcomes. Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of racehorses of different ages and sexes 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. 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 attend horses at race meetings and trials safe handling areas at racing stables, racetracks and race meetings 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 and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks. 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. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: RGRCMN201A Follow OHS procedures and observe environmental work practices 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). |
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 attend horses at race meetings and trials. Workplaces include harness and thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas. | |
Horses are prepared prior to race meetings by: | checking horse for illnesses or injuries checking feed and water intake checking manure quantity and quality fitting floating bandages, boots and tail guards grooming mane pulling as directed picking out feet shampooing as directed tail trimming as directed. |
Race gear may include: | anti-rearing bit and double clip lead (selected) bandages, elastoplast and vetwrap blinkers, pacifiers, tongue ties and nosebands as needed buckets colours cotton wool or gamgee wraps grooming kit needles, thread and tape race bridles rugs shampoo spare leads stencils for quarter marks sulkies towels. |
Personal presentation may include: | dress grooming jewellery personal behaviour. |
Instructions from officials will relate to: | changing order of place in parade ring giving unruly horse over to clerk of course holding horse for identification check holding horse for presentation following race taking horse to swab box walking horse for inspection. |
Pre-race or pre-trial duties will include: | attendance to animal welfare in stalls assisting in swabbing process preparation of horses for racing, including: applying quarter marks bridling at appropriate time grooming keeping horse calm shampooing taping or bandaging warming up. |
Parading horses will include: | adhering to safe work practices awareness of other horses in enclosure or birdcage following directions from officials holding horse for jockey or driver to mount identifying potential hazards, including: horses other people gear and equipment physical environment unsafe work practices keeping horse calm listening for mount-up instructions leading horse onto track and unclipping lead promptly maintaining safe space between horses parading in numerical order walking in correct direction. |
Post-race or post-trial procedures may include: | assisting with swabbing cooling horse down holding horse for presentation or photos leading horse from enclosure observing semaphore for placing and meeting horse and rider in correct location observing horse for signs of heat stress walking horse in quiet area while presentation preparations are made. |
Injury may include: | cuts and wounds heel or sole injury from shifted or sprung plates jarring up muscle damage tendon or ligament damage. |
Horses may be cooled down by: | allowing small drinks of water hosing down placing towel or quarter sheet on loins scraping to remove excess water walking horse for up to 30 minutes. |
Horses and gear may be prepared for return to stables by: | collecting and packing gear ensuring horse is properly cooled down before being loaded for transport fitting bandages and boots. |
Returned to stables procedures may include: | checking again for illness, injury or distress checking shoes feeding and watering horse according to stable routine reporting irregularities rolling and hosing horse, depending upon climate rubbing down rugging horse storing gear walking horse after floating if horse is boxed. |
Sectors
Unit Sector | Harness and thoroughbred racing codes |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor