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 train horses for jumping racing. Workplaces include harness or thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.
Flatwork skills may include:
responding to rider aids, including:
selection of gait
control of speed
direction of travel
turning signals
stopping
moving towards unusual objects.
Rider skills may include:
establishing and maintaining suitable tempo, stride length and control for jumping obstacles from poles on the ground to jumping racing fences
identifying when horse is not coping with task
reassuring nervous horse during exercise
remaining calm and positive while horse is learning new skills
riding in a balanced independent seat suitable for jumping
using positive and negative reinforcement to encourage horse to negotiate obstacles.
Tack and equipment may include:
jumping equipment, including:
cavaletti
ground poles
jump fill used to introduce jumping height and solid obstacles, including walls and ground line
jump materials to replicate fences used in jumping races, such as brush and ditches
jump wings suitable to build vertical and spread fences
jumping tack, including:
breast plates
martingales
specialist bits
specialist shoeing for jumping
protective equipment for horse, including:
bandages
brushing boots
overreach boots
sausage boots
splint boots
suitable arena with safe footing and reasonably level surface.
Planned jumping sessions may include:
frequency of jumping sessions per week when horse is learning to jump
length of sessions depending on fitness and experience in jumping
progression of jumping exercises, from learning to negotiate poles on the ground up to jumping racing obstacles
type of obstacles used at different stages of education and fitness for jumping.
Pole exercises may include:
random single poles on the ground negotiated at walk, trot and canter
grids of poles negotiated at walk, trot and canter on straight and curving lines at distances appropriate for gait and natural stride length of individual horses.
Cavaletti exercises may include:
random single cavaletti at various heights negotiated at walk, trot and canter
grids of cavaletti at various heights on straight and curving lines negotiated at walk, trot and canter at distances appropriate for gait and natural stride length of individual horses.
Aptitude for negotiating obstacles may be assessed by:
evaluating horse's:
ability to adjust stride height and length depending on height and distance of poles and cavaletti
ability to establish and maintain a suitable tempo
ability to maintain balance during pole and cavaletti exercises
ability to negotiate poles and cavaletti with a decreasing frequency of hitting the obstacles
willingness to approach obstacles
willingness to negotiate obstacles
consulting rider and other specialists on horse's potential for jumping racing.
Jumping exercises may include:
single obstacles of heights from 60cm to 1m, such as:
cross poles
natural obstacles
oxers
triple bars
vertical fences
walls
related distance jumping exercises of heights from 60cm to 1m, such as:
jumping two to three obstacles in a straight line
jumping two to three obstacles on a curving line
jumping obstacles on a line that changes direction
jumping six to eight obstacles to practise establishing and maintaining balance, style, tempo and speed.
Jumping racing courses may include:
jumping up to eight obstacles over a distance of 2400m (hurdle) or 2800m (steeplechase), including:
hurdle obstacles to 1m
steeplechase obstacles to 1.15m
jumps on undulating country.
Horse's welfare may include:
checking horse for injuries
deciding if it is safe to jump after assessing work area conditions
increasing workload according to horse's response to previous activities and rider reports
planning appropriate warm-up and cool-down procedures
preventing injuries by selecting appropriate safety and protective equipment
using legal therapies to control heat and swelling in limbs.
Aptitude for jumping racing may include:
establishing and maintaining an appropriate speed and tempo
willingness to negotiate jumping obstacles
willingness to jump in the company of other horses
approaching, jumping and leaving obstacles in balance
willingness to finish the race
ability to develop appropriate stamina for jumping racing.

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:
applying safe operating procedures to ensure the safety of horses, riders and others during the education and fitness development of horses for jumping racing
knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that apply to overseeing the education of horses for jumping racing
implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient education and fitness development of horses for jumping racing
working with others to undertake and complete procedures that meet required outcomes.
Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of racehorses of different ages and sexes, and at different stages of preparation in racing stable, track and race meeting environments.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to horses that are being educated and trained in a commercial racing stable under the care of a licensed trainer and the required resources. 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 thoroughbred horses that are currently in training for jumping racing
commercial racing training establishments, safe racetrack areas, race meetings and related facilities
materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to plan and oversee the education of horses for jumping racing
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.
Where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons, at least one of whom should be approved by the State Principal Racing Authority.
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:
RGRPSH502A Plan and implement education of horses for racing.
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).