Elements and Performance Criteria

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Risks to horse or handlers may include:
completing farriery tasks:
applying fillers and other treatments
cleaning and sharpening tools
exposure to noise, dust, skin and eye irritants
handling horses
manual handling associated with working with tools and metal
removing, replacing and fitting shoes
trimming feet
working with fire to shape shoes, shoe horses and weld
working with hazardous items including(e.g. electricity, heat, gas and other flammables)
outside distractions:
noise
movement
other animals
vehicles
uneducated, stressed or difficult horses.
Restraints may include:
head collar or halter and lead
muzzles
anti-rearing bit
chemical sedatives prescribed by and administered under the supervision of a veterinarian
hobbles
leg ropes
twitch.

Note: The majority of horses are quiet, easily managed and require no restraint. Where restraint is required it must be the minimum necessary and should always be determined through consultation with the owner or responsible person.
Features ofgait and conformation may include:
gaits:
walk
trot
pace
canter
gallop
jump action
characteristic actions of various breeds and types of horses
common faults of the skeletal system, stance and their effects on gait
common injuries of the muscular system and their effects on gait
ideal action and alignment
relationship of the conformation of the foot and limb to the way of going.
Moderate faults and defects in horses' feet may include:
interferences to movement of the foot in flight:
brushing/speed cutting
cross-firing
forging
over-reaching
scalping
stumbling
treads
minor ailments:
puncture wounds
thin soles
corns
false quarter
thrush
seedy toe
white line disease
sand crack/grass cracks
hoof deformities such as flared hooves
the condition of the foot should be assessed:
with the shoe on
with the shoe off.
Tools for removing and fitting shoes may include:
anvil
buffer
clenching tongs
nail pullers
pincers
pritchel
rasp
shoe shaper
shoeing hammer
hot shoe tools:
hot fit tongs
water bucket and water.
Relevant factors when assessing feet may include:
condition of the existing shoe
condition of the hooves
general condition of the horse
temperament of the horse
the approximate age of the horse
the work that the horse will perform
type of surface the horse will work on.
Implications of wear pattern may include:
indicators of uneven weight bearing:
variations in shoe thickness on ground contact surface
uneven hoof wear
shoe movement on foot
indicators of stumbling or other forms of interference
indicators of poor fit:
presence of bruising or corns
shoe is pressing on sensitive structures
clenches have risen.
Toolsfor trimming feet may include:
hoof nippers or cutters
rasp
paring knife
toe knife.
Considerations required to safely trim and prepare feet may include:
growth rate of the shod versus the unshod hoof
trimming aims to achieve a level bearing surface and a normal pastern foot axis, it involves:
study of the shape and proportions of the foot
identification and correction of any defects
balance of the foot in relation to the length of toe and height of heel
adjusting any irregularities or unevenness in the bearing surface
checking the balance of the foot in relation to the pastern foot axis
determining how much hoof needs to be removed in relation to a range of conditions:
broken hoof and pastern angle
heels too high
heels too low
medial or lateral growth
toe too long
any problems noticed by owner in relation to breakover of hoof or interference.
Hoof trim considerations in relation to injury to the horse's feet may include:
a badly dressed foot is not only altered in shape but also in position relative to the leg, which in turn influences the action of the limb
faults in dressing the foot:
inadequate removal of excess hoof
overparing the frog
overparing the sole
over-lowering the toe
over-lowering the heels
over-lowering the bearing surface
uneven bearing surface
opening up the heels
rasping the wall and dumping the toe.
Quality outcomesof foot preparation may include:
achieve optimal conformational relationships between angles of leading wall of hoof line, long axis of pastern and angle of shoulder
avoidance of reaching sensitive tissue
checking angles and shape of foot
the weight is evenly distributed over the foot
toe clip is cut in balance with hoof shape if clip is required
when viewed from behind, both heels are the same height and the base of the frog just touches the ground
when viewed from the side, the toe, quarters and heels are proportionate and the pastern foot axis is in a straight line.
Shoe selection considerations may include:
characteristics of the horse:
assessment of horse's action
conformation
shape of its feet
size and weight
wear patterns of existing shoes
work it performs
shoe types in various sizes and weights fitted hot or cold:
concave fullered shoe
machine made shoes
plain stamped shoe
racing plates
three-quarter fullered shoe
other considerations in shoe selection:
Rules of Racing shoe requirements
other sport and working horse requirements:
breed requirements
carriage and draught horse shoes
endurance
hacking and dressage
mule or donkey shoes
polo and polocrosse
showjumping, eventing and hunting
working stock horse and western events.
Ancillary features may include:
bar
extra clip
extra nail holes
pads
seating out
shortening or lengthening heel
stud holes.
Final adjustments may include:
hot or cold shoes may be fitted:
surface fitting, where the foot surface has to be adapted exactly to the bearing surface of the hoof
outline fitting, which means adaptation of the shoe to the length and breadth of the hoof with the outer border of the shoe corresponding to the outline of the bearing surface
checking and adjusting shoe to reduce the risk of:
close fitting
wide fitting
checking length of shoe to assess if:
heels are too long
heels are too short.
Relevant factors may include:
nailing on a shoe should avoid:
nail bind
pricks
sole pressure
holding horse's leg at a comfortable angle during nailing to:
discourage horse from moving away during nailing
enable horse to stand in a balanced position
prevent injury to farrier due to poor manual handling techniques.
Factors taken into account when finished job is assessed may include:
securing shoe to foot:
using an appropriate number of nails to secure shoe
selecting nails of appropriate size and length for hoof quality and shoe type
setting nails in appropriate position around hoof
nailing on the shoe in sequence
clenches even, flat and broad, nails driven to standard height
nails driven home, with heads fitting the countersinks
with foot on the ground assess:
front and hind feet are pairs, the same size and shape and the same pastern foot axis
no excessive rasping of the wall
no dumping of the wall (making the foot fit the shoe)
clips low and broad and the toe clip centred with correct angle to the hoof wall
shoe fits the outline of the foot and heels are of correct length
with foot off the ground assess:
no unnecessary paring of the frog and sole
heels not opened up
toe clip centred and in line with the point of the frog
sole eased at the seat of corn
no daylight between the foot and the shoe
shoe fits the foot and the heels do not interfere with the function of the frog
shoe is properly finished off
horse shows no sign of lameness when trotted up.

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.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competence 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. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
assess the shoeing needs of individual horses exhibiting moderate faults and defects of the foot or lower limb that may be alleviated by the farrier
trim and prepare feet
select and fit appropriate shoes to alleviate moderate faults and defects and assess quality of outcomes
provide advice on future hoof care requirements and maintain records of service provided.

The skills and knowledge required to fit shoes to alleviate moderate faults and defects in horses must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in worksites, where routine farriery tasks are performed, or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access to a range of horses presenting with moderate faults and defects as well as the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
case study analysis
third-party evidence
workplace documentation
portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

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).