ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCECRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Confirm operational details for trail rides.

1.1. Interpret activity plans and risk assessments for trail ride and confirm suitability.

1.2. Access and interpret current weather and environmental information to ascertain impacts on riding activity.

1.3. Make adjustments to route and activity as required, and inform relevant personnel of route and anticipated timings before departure.

2. Prepare and pack equipment for rides.

2.1. Select navigation and communication equipment suitable for destinations and check for safe working condition.

2.2. Prepare first aid and other equipment for horses and riders according to operational requirements of trail ride.

2.3. Prepare food and water resources for horses and riders for duration of ride.

2.4. Pack saddle bags to ensure even weight distribution, horse comfort and wellbeing.

3. Prepare tack, horses and participants.

3.1. Select horses of suitable history, size and temperament to match participant capabilities and obtain participant disclaimer.

3.2. Confirm participants have clothing and footwear appropriate for the ride and changing weather conditions.

3.3. Select riding equipment to match riders and riding conditions and check it is in safe working condition.

3.4. Fit and adjust tack and personal equipment to participants and horses to ensure comfort and safety.

3.5. Assist with mounting of horses, check and adjust rider equipment.

4. Brief and instruct participants.

4.1. Communicate instructions and information about ride in a manner appropriate to participants and encourage questions and advice before and during ride.

4.2. Provide information on practices to minimise impact of horse riding on the environment.

4.3. Inform participants of known and anticipated risks, safety procedures, safe behaviour, safe areas and boundaries.

4.4. Advise participants of order of ride procedures and communication protocols to use during ride.

4.5. Provide information to participants about their horses and behaviour pattern.

4.6. Demonstrate correct horse handling and riding techniques appropriate for difficult untracked terrain.

4.7. Check and confirm participant riding ability for terrain, ability to start and stop horse, and control horse direction and speed before departure.

4.8. Check matching of rider to horse and adjust as required.

5. Lead rides in untracked areas.

5.1. Lead mounted and unmounted horses from designated order of ride position, adjusting position and role as required.

5.2. Provide clear demonstrations and concise directions to participants during ride to negotiate difficult terrain.

5.3. Monitor individual participant performance and provide directions to improve techniques and control of horse.

5.4. Monitor participant adherence to order of ride and safety procedures and assertively correct breaches.

5.5. Monitor horse behaviour and interaction and promptly control aggressive, misbehaved and frightened horses.

5.6. Monitor riding conditions and hazards, including signs of rider and horse difficulty, to ensure rider and horse safety and welfare during ride.

5.7. Implement required modifications to activity, speed and route to ensure participant safety and comfort and completion within ride timelines.

5.8. Respond to emergency situations according to organisational safety, emergency response and first aid procedures.

6. Complete post-ride responsibilities.

6.1. Notify relevant personnel of ride completion.

6.2. Retrieve equipment, inspect for wear or breakage, tag faults and store in designated area.

6.3. Check condition of horses and deal with injuries according to organisational procedures.

6.4. Document any equipment faults, horse injuries and safety incidents.

6.5. Evaluate the ride through a debrief and identify improvements for future activities.

Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.

SKILLS

DESCRIPTION

Reading skills to:

interpret complex and sometimes unfamiliar documents and information which can include:

activity plans and risk assessments

organisational policies and procedures

weather and other environmental information.

Writing skills to:

use fundamental sentence structure to complete forms that require factual information, these can include:

safety checklists

equipment faults

incident reports.

Oral communication skills to:

provide clear and unambiguous instructions to participants using language and terms easily understood by riders

ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to determine participants’ understanding of instructions.

Teamwork skills to:

pro-actively and cooperatively work within teams of guides, support staff and base operational staff to organise ride logistics, solve operational problems and deliver a quality ride experience to participants.

Planning and organising skills to:

manage own timing and that of participants to complete trail rides within organisational service times.