Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required for riding educated horses on the flat and in negotiating set obstacles in controlled and open areas. It includes knowledge of assessing risks to protect the welfare of people and horses.

This unit applies to riders who work under supervision, and who exercise calm, consistent and obedient horses that are ridden in areas that may include paddocks, stock or exercise yards, arenas, trails, and open areas at training and competition venues.

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

The prerequisite unit of competency for this unit is:

• ACMEQU218 Perform horse riding skills at walk, trot and canter.

Note the following chain of prerequisites that also apply to this unit. 

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 demonstrated riding skills for exercising at least two different educated, compliant and manageable horses in a safe environment. The individual must have ridden each horse on at least three different occasions, with and without other horses and riders in the immediate vicinity, during which the individual has:

• confirmed horse identification, riding location, program and riding etiquette according to workplace or organisational requirements
• identified at least three different hazards, assessed risks, and controlled and/or reported risks prior to handling horses and starting exercise
• selected, correctly fitted and adjusted a range of gear for a specified purpose or activity, including:

• saddles
• stirrup irons and safety devices
• bridle with bit
• saddle cloth
• boots or bandages

• selected and correctly fitted personal protective equipment (PPE)
• controlled the horse under saddle at all times while undertaking the following:

• applying aids to establish and control gait, speed and direction of a horse at walk, trot and canter
• holding reins for two independent hands, one hand and bridging techniques
• increasing and decreasing speed at trot and canter over a minimum distance of 500 metres
• exercising horse with others at walk, trot and canter whilst maintaining safe riding distance
• rising on the correct diagonal at trot
• transitioning correct lead to canter on both legs
• riding on at least two different open area terrains or trails

• ridden horse singly and in company, maintaining safe riding distances
• used appropriate aids to adjust horse speed and position to maintain horse balance, including riding through narrow openings
• completed horse exercise program requirements and reported on horse performance
• identified the footfalls of each gait when on the ground and mounted.

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:

• purpose, features of fit and use of horse gear used for riding in at least two different horse work sectors, including:

• types and styles of saddles
• bits and bridles
• accessory tack for relevant sector or discipline

• checking, cleaning and general maintenance of horse gear used for riding
• purpose and correct fit of PPE, including:

• safety vests
• riding helmets, including current Australian Standards and regulatory requirements

• types of horse gaits and variations within gaits for ridden horses
• types of aids and rider position techniques to:

• control gait, speed and direction of a horse
• maintain rider position during rising and sitting trot
• maintain rider position when riding on different surfaces, slopes and ground conditions

• hazard identification, risk assessment, risk control and reporting prior to, during and after horse riding activities
• key health and safety procedures and practices for riding horses, including:

• safe horse handling techniques and zones relevant to preparing to ride, riding and returning horse to paddock or yard
• low stress horse riding techniques
• horse and rider fatigue and stress monitoring

• potential hazards in the horse riding environment, and risks to horse or rider, including:

• riding surface and conditions, including slopes
• safe distances for riding in the vicinity of other horses
• right of way when riding in the vicinity of other horses

• key features of safe riding etiquette and protocols for horse riding environments in equine workplaces.

Assessment Conditions

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

• physical conditions:

• a safe horse riding environment

• resources, equipment and materials:

• live well-educated, compliant and manageable horses, assessed as suitable to allow the rider to demonstrate the level and skills of riding specified in the performance evidence
• appropriate gear for individual, horse and activity
• correctly fitted PPE for the individual, including suitable riding footwear and a riding helmet that complies with Australian Standard or equivalent

• specifications:

• workplace procedures for horse riding and horse exercise programs specified in the performance evidence

• relationships:

• supervisor and other riders.

Risk assessments and appropriate risk controls must be undertaken to ensure the safety of all involved in the assessment of this unit.

Horse matching prior to all assessments involving horse interaction is essential. Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and/or assessors must:

• complete, participate in or validate a risk assessment of both the individual being assessed and other participant riders’ characteristics and level of horse handling and riding skills
• match, or validate the matching of, horses of suitable history, size and temperament to both the individual being assessed and other participants to ensure that rider and horse combination is safe.

Note – If an employee is being assessed in their workplace, the horse matching risk assessment above can be replaced with advice from a workplace supervisor that the employee has previously ridden the horse to be used for the assessment, and the horse and rider are suitably matched for the assessment tasks.

The Companion Volume: User Guide: Safety in Equine Training provides advice and sample templates to assist RTOs, trainers and assessors with risk assessments and related risk controls, including horse and rider matching, that should be undertaken to 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.

The following specific assessor requirements apply to this unit. The assessor must have at least one of the following:

• recognised horse riding coaching/instruction accreditation (refer to the User Guide)
• experience training and/or assessing other riders on skills for exercising horses (refer to the User Guide).

Links

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