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 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 perform basic stable duties under supervision. Workplaces include stables, yards, training tracks and arenas, paddocks, and public areas.
Stable facilities may include:
arenas
barns
crushes
feed rooms
tack rooms
paddocks
sand rolls
stables
swimming facilities
walking machines
wash bays
yards.
Stable facilities are maintained by:
cleaning boxes, yards and paddocks
cleaning gutters
removing leaves, rubbish, feed stuffs and bedding
raking and sweeping
storing gear and equipment.
Cleaning equipment may include:
brooms
dung bags or buckets
gloves
hydrated lime or other floor treatments
long-pronged forks
rakes
shovels
wheelbarrows.
Bedding may include:
paper
rice hulls
sand
shavings
sawdust
straw.
Box cleaning procedures may include:
banking around the walls
complete muck out
dung disposal
ensuring adequate thickness of bedding
personal hygiene
picking up and skipping over
reducing dust
removing horse from box
removing damp bedding
time frame for different bedding types
topping up bedding
using hydrated lime or other floor treatments.
Workplace hazards may include:
chemicals
heavy loads, for example full water buckets
horses
machinery and equipment
other people
unsafe work practices.
Common feeds and feed quality may include:
feeds:
barley
chaff
hay
maize
meals, including soybean and linseed
molasses
oats
pellets or premixed feeds
supplements, including vitamins and minerals
feed quality:
appearance
smell
touch.
Contaminated feed may include:
chemical contamination
dust
mould or moisture
rodent or weevil damage.
Contaminated feed must be reported:
promptly to supervisor to avoid dangers of feeding contaminated feed, including:
botulism
colic.
Stable and/or yard is prepared with feed and water by:
filling hay nets
providing fresh water
reporting amounts of feed left over and water consumed
removing left over feed and water
scrubbing feed and water containers
tipping and mixing feeds prepared by supervisor into horses' feedbins
tying hay nets securely at appropriate height.
Safe manner will include:
identifying correct horse to be fed and watered
identifying horse behaviour
correctly opening and closing gates or doors
talking to the horse
moving purposefully and carefully around horse
requesting assistance when feeding groups of horses
safety of horse and handler.
Grooming equipment may include:
body brush
bot knife
curry comb
dandy brush
hoof dressing and applicator
hoof pick
mane comb
rubber mitts
scraper
scrubbing brush
sponge
towel
water bucket.
Principles of animal welfare may include:
adhering to responsibilities under national and state codes of practice; federal, state and territory legislation; and local government regulations covering animal welfare
understanding basic tenets of animal welfare to ensure welfare, safety and health of horses, including:
care and treatment
provision of food and water
shelter.
Common illnesses and injuries may include:
abrasions, cuts or wounds
colic
coughs or colds
heat in limbs
lameness
viruses.

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 apply when performing basic stable duties
implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient performance of stable duties under supervision
working with others to undertake and complete basic stable duty procedures under supervision that meet required outcomes.
Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of well-educated horses of different ages, sexes and temperaments, and at different stages of preparation in horse industry environments.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency may be assessed in a horse industry workplace that provides access to the required resources or simulated environment. 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 horses
materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to perform basic stable duties under supervision
safe handling areas, such as stables and training arenas
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.
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:
RGRCMN201A Follow OHS procedures and observe environmental work practices
RGRPSH101A Catch and handle quiet horses under supervision.
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).