Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge to understand and interpret horse behaviour and body language in order to minimise risks to self, others and horses when working around horses.

This unit applies to workers who work around horses, but do not directly handle horses. These roles may include administration, finance, marketing, customer service, catering, facility management and equipment repair.

Commonwealth and state/territory health and safety and animal welfare legislation, regulations and codes of practice relevant to interacting with horses apply to workers in this industry. Requirements vary between industry sectors and jurisdictions.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Equine (EQU)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has:

• identified horse identification features, including gender, colour and brand
• explained the typical behaviour of the following types of horse toward other horses and handlers:

• educated, calm and obedient horses
• uneducated horses
• excited and less responsive to commands
• stallions and colts

• observed and interpreted horse behaviour and body language of at least three different horses displaying different behavioural states and body language in different environments on separate occasions
• identified at least three different hazards arising from their own work activities undertaken around horses that may create health and safety risks to themselves, others and horses
• assessed and explained how to minimise the risk created by at least three different hazards arising from their own work when undertaken around horses
• completed a visitor or worker safety induction for at least one equine workplace
• reported any concerns regarding horse behaviour and outcomes for own work to site supervisor in a timely manner.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• common features of a horse, including colour, gender, basic points of horse and brands
• features of horse natural instincts and behaviour, including:

• normal flight and fight responses, including protective behaviour
• normal and abnormal behaviours
• herd, social organisation, need for space and companions
• attachment and separation anxiety
• alertness, fear and arousal

• features of horse senses, including vision, touch, smell, hearing and taste
• observation and interpretation of horse vocalisation and body language, including posture and body position, facial features, ears, legs and tail to identify:

• flight response
• fight response
• threatened or defensive behaviour
• stress, agitation or unsettled behaviour
• pain
• relaxed behaviour

• human body language, voice and behaviour that should be avoided around horses
• positive actions and behaviours that minimise risks when around horses
• situations, work activities and behaviours that lead to common incidents, accidents and injuries when working around horses, including:

• loose uncontrolled horses
• start-up and operation of loud equipment, machinery and vehicles
• sudden or unexpected movements and sounds, including those create by people
• uncontrolled dogs
• approaching from a horse's blind spot
• introduction of other horses
• gates and restraints not used correctly that result in loose horses
• weather conditions and sudden changes in weather

• key features and benefits of situational awareness when working around horses
• common hazards and risks associated with visitors when working around horses, including zoonotic diseases and basic biosecurity
• basic principles of hazard identification and risk assessment in an equine workplace
• typical strategies to minimise and control common risks associated with working around horses
• key features of safety inductions for an equine worksite, including roles and responsibilities for reporting hazards and risks.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• an equine workplace or an environment that accurately represents workplace conditions

• resources, equipment and materials:

• live horses and/or videos/images of horse behaviour where relevant aspects of behaviour specified in the performance evidence cannot be observed with live horses
• equine workplace safety induction materials as specified in the performance evidence

• relationships:

• site supervisor.

If live horses are used during the assessment of skills, the Companion Volume: User Guide: Safety in Equine Training provides advice and sample templates to assist assessors with the risk assessments that should be undertaken to help ensure the safety of all involved in the assessment.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103