Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to follow road use regulations and requirements, conduct vehicle and float safety checks, apply strategies for loading difficult horses, and supervise the care of horses during and after transit.

To undertake this unit the candidate will be able to apply safe horse handling skills and workplace OHS standards. It is recommended that RGRPSH201A Handle horses be delivered in conjunction with or before this unit of competency.

A current driver's licence and an appropriate level of driving experience are also requirements.

This unit of competency operates in work environments of racing stables, racecourses and public areas.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Check with your State Principal Racing Authority for current license or registration requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports leading hands, trainers and others authorised to supervise the transportation of horses.

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.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Follow road use regulations and requirements.

1. Driver's licence is correct for type of transport  used.

2. Load capacity  of tow vehicle and float are identified.

3. Vehicle logbooks are maintained.

4. Driving techniques are safe and adjusted for road condition .

Supervise vehicle and safety checks.

5. Electrical equipment  is inspected and is in good working order.

6. Exterior  of vehicle and float are inspected for safety.

7. Interior  of vehicle and float are inspected for safety.

Supervise the loading of difficult horses.

8. Potential loading problems  are identified and risks  controlled.

9. Strategies for loading difficult horses are known and practised.

10. Alternative loading techniques  used are safe and humane.

Supervise care of horses in transit and post-travelling.

11. Horses' health status  is evaluated prior to and after journey.

12. Poor travellers  are identified and adjustments made.

13. Horses are positioned and tied correctly.

14. Signs of stress  and other illness indicators  in horses being transported are identified and managed.

15. Care of horses is supervised post -travelling  .

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses
• conducting safety checks on vehicles and floats
• communicating with employer, co-workers and others using assertive communication techniques to gather, interpret and relay information related to supervising transportation of horses
• completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures
• defensive driving and appropriate level of driving expertise
• identifying and using different items of personal protective equipment
• identifying horse behaviour problems
• identifying signs of stress in horses
• identifying symptoms and signs of illness or injury
• identifying types of horse transport
• operating a range of equipment and technology
• reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including rules of racing
• relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• reporting problems promptly
• written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge 

• air and sea transportation procedures
• alternative loading techniques
• communication procedures within stable and wider racing industry
• common horse behaviour, social traits and vices
• horse health status
• horse illnesses and injuries
• load capacity of vehicles and floats
• logbooks
• purpose of using appropriate personal protective equipment
• procedures for operation and maintenance of equipment and technology
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures
• relevant rules of racing
• road safety rules and regulations regarding transport of animals
• signs of stress in horses
• vehicle safety.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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:

• consistent timely completion of transportation procedures that safely, effectively and efficiently meet required outcomes
• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when supervising transportation of horses and dealing with difficult loaders
• implementation of procedures and techniques for the safe, effective and efficient transport of horses
• working with others to undertake and complete transportation procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of racehorses of different ages and sexes, and at different stages of preparation 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 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 or thoroughbred horses
• materials and equipment, including transport vehicles relevant to assessing candidate's ability to supervise transportation of horses
• safe handling areas, such as racing stables, and 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.

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.

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 supervise the transportation of horses. Workplaces include harness and thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Types of transport  may include:

• air transport
• floats:

• angle loaders
• back loaders
• double:

• extended front
• extended height

• goose neck
• side loaders
• single
• straight end

• sea transport
• trucks:

• cattle trucks with dividers.

Load capacity checks  may include:

• additional gear carried, such as bags of feed
• brakes:

• breakaway
• hydraulic
• parking

• federal and state or territory road rules
• gross and tared weight
• load balancing
• number of horses to be carried
• position of single horse in double float
• tyre suitability and pressure
• weighbridge usage
• weight of individual horses.

Driving techniques  may include:

• accelerating smoothly
• adjusting to road camber
• adjusting float brakes for simultaneous slowing with tow vehicle brakes
• braking gradually and using gears to slow down
• driving defensively
• keeping vehicle centrally positioned and away from road shoulders
• maintaining moderate speed
• planning travelling times to minimise stress to horses on extremely hot days
• providing rest stops for horses on long trips
• reversing and turning vehicle and float combination
• taking regular breaks to avoid driver fatigue.

Road conditions  may include:

• drains
• gravel
• ice and snow
• plastic paint, for example white lines and zebra crossings
• rain
• sharp corners
• steep hills
• urban driveways
• worn, shiny patches on roads.

Electrical equipment  will include:

• electrical sockets
• head and tail lights
• indicators
• interior lights
• wiring.

Exterior vehicle safety inspection  will include:

• brakes
• coupling
• electrical sockets
• electrical system of tow vehicle
• hitching height
• jack and wheel brace
• jockey wheel
• latches and locks
• lights and light globes
• loading ramp
• oil
• rear opening cover
• rear view mirrors
• safety chains
• side door
• stabiliser bars
• tow bar and ball
• tyres
• water
• wheels.

Interior vehicle safety inspection  will include:

• chest bar
• dividers and head partition
• floor boards
• floor mats
• interior lighting
• latches
• padding
• provision of absorbent floor covering
• provision of fully maintained first aid kit
• scrambler bars
• ventilation
• windows.

Loading problems  may include:

• horse barging on or off float
• horse backing off float when loading
• horse jumping off side of ramp
• horse rearing
• horse refusing to lead forward to load.

Controlling risks  may include:

• adhering to responsibilities under OHS legislation and workplace practices
• adhering to responsibilities under national and state codes of practice; federal, state and territory legislation; and local government regulations covering animal welfare and transport of horses
• being aware of Australian road rules and any relevant local rules
• considering variables that influence behaviour of horses, such as:

• fences and equipment
• other persons or animals
• vehicles
• wind and noise

• contributing to development of risk control measures
• following safe operating procedures
• identifying and reporting unsafe work practices
• identifying emergency situations, for example:

• gear breakage
• horse getting loose

• understanding individual horse behaviour
• wearing personal protective equipment.

Application of alternative loading techniques  may include:

• loading from shed
• lowering ramp
• placing older, more experienced horse on float first
• using bits for greater control
• using britching ropes.

Evaluation of health status  may include:

• prior to travelling:

• assessing vital signs
• assessing horse for illness or injury
• checking feed and water intake
• ensuring horse is hydrated
• observing manure and urine
• picking out feet and checking status of shoes

• after travelling:

• checking brightness of eye and horse's head for injury
• checking hooves for signs of heat
• checking mucosal membranes inside mouth
• checking for rubbing or abrasions on body
• checking hydration levels by skin pinch
• conducting capillary refill test
• lifting hooves and checking shoes are not sprung or shifted
• removing tail bandage and checking for evidence of diarrhoea
• removing leg bandages or boots and checking for heat and swelling
• taking horse's temperature
• walking horse, observing action and listening to footfall
• observing horse for 24 to 36 hours.

Poor travellers  may include:

• nervous sweaters
• scramblers.

Signs of stress  may include:

• colic
• dehydration
• diarrhoea
• elevated temperature
• increased respiration rate
• increased pulse rate
• lameness
• listlessness
• pale mucosal membranes
• slow capillary refill
• sweating at neck and girth, for example high temperature
• sweating at flanks
• uncommon individual horse behaviour.

Horses may be stressed  due to:

• excessive dust
• excessive noise inside float from passing trucks
• high temperatures and humidity changes
• horse placed next to another horse with existing respiratory infection
• horse subject to bullying from other horses
• poor float hygiene
• poor driving techniques, for example speed and excessive braking
• poor ventilation
• slippery flooring
• tying horse's head too high and too short
• travelling horses before they cool down after strenuous exercise
• travelling horses for longer than 12 hours
• travelling without rest stops every four to six hours.

Signs of stress  may be managed by:

• dealing with potential illness promptly
• reporting potential illness or adverse impacts on performance to relevant personnel, for example:

• trainer or owner
• race meeting stewards as required by rules of racing

• seeking veterinary assistance as required.

Other illness indicators  may include:

• travel sickness, including:

• pleuropneumonia
• chest pain
• depression
• lack of interest in feed
• painful stance, for example forelegs wide apart
• reluctance to move
• rapid but shallow respiration rate
• suppressed, painful coughs.

Post -travelling care of horse  may include:

• checking shoes or plates for shifting
• cooling down horses according to weather conditions
• ensuring animal welfare principles are followed
• providing feed and water
• rugging as appropriate
• treating illness or injury.

Unit Sector 

Harness and thoroughbred racing codes

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services