Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to perform industry-regulated procedures for the recording of permanent identification and registration of individual standardbred racehorses. It requires knowledge of horse features and behaviour traits, effective interpretation and completion of written documentation, and compliance with animal welfare legislation and rules of racing.

To undertake this unit the candidate will be able to apply safe horse handling skills and follow workplace OHS standards.

This unit of competency operates in work environments of racing stables, paddocks, yards, 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 race club employees authorised to brand standardbred horses.

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 

Verify identification of horses.

1. Industry identification features  are used to identify mare and foal.

2. Service certificates and other industry documentation are used to verify relationship of foal  to declared parents.

3. Age of foal is estimated  and compared with industry documentation.

Apply brand.

4. Animal is restrained for safety of foal, handler and branding officer .

5. Branding equipment is prepared.

6. Branding is applied using humane techniques  .

7. Documentation  is completed.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• applying freeze branding and maintaining freeze branding equipment
• applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses, including techniques required to specifically handle and restrain mares and foals
• catching, leading and handling a range of horses in a variety of environments
• communicating with licensed or registered industry personnel and others using assertive communication techniques to gather, interpret and relay information related to performing freeze branding procedures
• completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame
• evaluating risks associated with horse handling
• identifying horses using industry signalment and documents
• 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
• written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge 

• appropriate methods of restraining horses
• basic industry terminology related to horse identification and branding
• industry documentation required for identifying, breeding, registering and branding standardbred horses
• manufacturer specifications for the operation and maintenance of freeze branding equipment
• procedures for registering and branding standardbred horses
• protocols and procedures for communicating with licensed and other racing industry personnel
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures
• range of behaviour traits exhibited by horses
• relevant rules of racing
• reporting requirements for irregularities and problems.

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:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when branding standardbred horses
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient application of branding duties
• working with others to undertake and complete procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time in a range of workplace-relevant contexts and include dealings with an appropriate range of situations.

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 horses
• materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to perform branding procedures
• safe handling areas such as commercial stables, 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, for example:

• RGRCMN001A Comply with the rules of racing and related protocols
• 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 brand standardbred horses. Workplaces include harness stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Identification features  may include:

• brands and other permanent skin or hair features
• coat colour
• face or body markings
• hoof colour
• leg markings
• muscle indentations
• permanent scars
• sex
• whorls.

Verifying relationship of foal to its parents  may include:

• blood type and/or DNA of sire and dam
• colour and markings of sire and dam
• date of birth of foal
• date of service.

Age of foal estimate  may involve:

• reviewing characteristics to verify the declared age of the foal, including the following features:

• condition score
• eruption of teeth
• length of mane and tail hair
• shape and length of hooves.

Restrained for branding  may include:

• equipment or medication that can be used for restraint using humane and safe techniques, including:

• chemical sedation supervised by a veterinarian
• hobbles
• nose twitch

• physical restraints that must be applied using humane and safe techniques, including:

• fitting halter or headcollar
• handlers using their body to keep foal against mare's body, a wall or other object
• handlers wrapping their arms around foal's body
• handlers elevating foal's tail
• handlers applying skin twitch
• handlers raising one foreleg off the ground.

Considerations for safety of foal , handler and branding officer  will include:

• if restraints are not used, or are ill fitting or in poor condition, foals could:

• suffer distress by struggling to get away from handler or brand
• suffer strains, contusions or breaks if they get out of restraints
• fall, be knocked over or burned if they move during application of brand

• if restraints are not used, the following injuries could occur to handler or branding officer:

• brand or cooling agent may burn after coming into contact with skin accidentally
• injury by being bitten, kicked, pushed into a wall or knocked over by mare and/or foal
• needlestick injury if chemical restraints are used
• strain while trying to restrain foal.

Branding equipment  may include:

• authority approved branding irons, including alpha angle sequence and stud brand (if required)
• clippers for removing hair prior to branding
• coolant to super cool brands
• gloves and goggles to protect branding officer
• insulated containers suitable for storage and application of coolant to brands.

Considerations for humane techniques  will include:

• avoiding bony features of the body when applying brands
• cooling and applying brands for an appropriate length of time for foals or young horses
• ensuring minimal stress is suffered by the animal during preparation, restraint and application of brand
• keeping foal or young horse with mother if possible to reduce separation anxiety
• monitoring foal after application of brands and release from restraints to ensure health status
• restraining animal for no longer than minimum time required to complete the job
• using chemical sedation under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon to ensure dose rate and chemical used is suitable for foals or young horses
• using restraining equipment that is in good condition and fits the animal to avoid foal escaping due to equipment malfunction and/or injury
• using restraining techniques that are suitable for use on foals and young horses.

Documentation to be completed  will include:

• description and drawing of brands applied
• registration papers with foal descriptions completed and verified
• report of all foals or horses inspected and branded.

Unit Sector 

Harness racing code

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services