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.
Work methods may include:
forging techniques
use of gas and other forges
use of grinding equipment
use of specific parts of the anvil to shape and forge metal
use of welding equipment.
Materials and hand tools may include:
materials:
steel
aluminium
rubber
plastic and other synthetics
other metals:
copper
magnesium
titanium
hand tools:
centre punch
creaser/fuller
heel cropper or hardy
horseshoer's anvil
nail stamp
pritchel
rounding hammer
ruler and angle gauges
vice
shoemaking tongs
fire tools:
ash rake
fire poker
fire rake
fire tongs.
Steel types may include:
concave
flat
fullered
round.
Dimensions used in shoe manufacture may include:
size and shape of feet
work horse is doing
surface horse is working on.
Considerations in selecting the most suitable shoe may include:
types of horses:
competition horse
draught and carriage horse
harness or thoroughbred race horse
Olympic disciplines
pleasure riding horse
endurance
polo and polocrosse horses
working stock horses
current status of the horse:
its gait and conformation
level of work (e.g. whether it is spelling or training)
particular needs:
pregnancy, injury or ailment management
the gauge of steel selected should be appropriate to foot size
the weight of the shoe in relation to the work to be performed
the style of shoe selected will be influenced by:
availability of materials
cost involved
the preference of the owner
the terrain the horse is worked on
the type of work the horse does
shoes may be machine or handmade:
fullered concave
plain stamped
hand fullered
sizes available in machine made horseshoes
shoes for fore and hind feet.
Variants in shoe size and shape may include:
toe clip
side clip
block heels
tapered heels
trailers
stud holes
rolled toe
set toe.
Specifications to produce required shoes may include:
a copy of an existing item
drawings
oral instructions
written instructions.
OHS requirements may include:
being prepared to say no to handling an uneducated, stressed or difficult horse
following safe work method statements for:
cleaning and sharpening tools
completing farriery tasks:
applying fillers and other treatments
removing, replacing and fitting shoes
trimming feet
handling horses
using bottled gas
using personal protective equipment:
eye and ear protection
farrier's apron
gloves
work boots
working with fire to shape shoes, shoe horses and weld
working with tools and metal.
Considerations to ensure materials are accurately cut may include:
impact of accuracy on the fit and comfort of the final product
impact on final product dimensions if calculations are not correct
tools used are sharp
tools are appropriate for the material being cut and the type of cut required.
Indicators of malleable working temperature may include:
temperature of heat source
colour or other features to indicate temperature:
warm heat
black heat
dull red or blood red heat
bright red heat
bright yellow or near welding heat
light welding, sweating or slippery heat
full welding heat
white or snowball heat
time in heat.
Standard steps in making shoes may include:
marking the length
cutting the bar stock
marking the centre bar stock and the heels
creating the toe bend
marking and punching the nail holes
forming heels
turning the branches
drawing the clips
levelling the shoe
finishing the heels.
Quality standards in fitting shoes may include:
the shoe is shaped to fit the foot with allowance for expansion at the heels and outline fit
the heels of the shoe cover the buttresses
the foot surface of the shoe and wall of the foot fit tightly against each other and the shoe will not 'rock' from side to side
the heels of the shoe fit flat against the heels of the foot
the shoe has sole relief
the nail holes on the shoe are opened sufficiently for the correct size nail to be used
nail holes are positioned to allow for maximum security and safety when nailing
there are no burrs or sharp edges.

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:
organise facilities and materials
identify the shoe requirements of particular horses
produce specifications to make shoes for particular horses
make front and hind shoes for a range of healthy horses.

The skills and knowledge required to make standard shoes for range of 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 healthy horses and 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
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).