Assist with pre and post trek procedures — City & Guilds Limited Occupational Qualification Animal Care & Veterinary Revision
This subtopic covers the essential routines for preparing horses and riders for trekking activities, including tack fitting, horse health assessment, and p
Topic Synopsis
This subtopic covers the essential routines for preparing horses and riders for trekking activities, including tack fitting, horse health assessment, and post-trek care. It ensures learners can contribute to safe, efficient, and welfare-compliant operations, reflecting industry standards for commercial trekking centres.
Key Concepts & Core Principles
- Equine Health & Welfare Principles: Understanding the five freedoms, daily health checks, recognising normal vs. abnormal behaviour, and basic first aid for horses.
- Routine Horse Husbandry: Mastering practical skills like safe handling and leading, grooming techniques, mucking out various stable types, and applying rugs correctly.
- Feeding & Nutrition: Knowledge of different feed types, calculating rations, understanding digestive physiology, and identifying common nutritional deficiencies or issues.
- Stable Management & Biosecurity: Efficient organisation of the stable environment, maintaining cleanliness, implementing biosecurity measures to prevent disease spread, and safe storage of equipment and feed.
- Health & Safety in the Equine Environment: Adhering to relevant legislation (e.g., Health and Safety at Work Act), risk assessment, safe use of equipment, and emergency procedures in a busy yard setting.
Exam Tips & Revision Strategies
- Always follow a verbal or mental checklist for pre- and post-trek procedures to ensure no steps are missed and to demonstrate methodical working.
- Verbalize your actions during practical assessments, explaining why you are doing each check (e.g., 'I am checking the girth in two stages to avoid pinching and to ensure security').
- Be prepared to explain the health and safety regulations that apply, such as PUWER for equipment and COSHH for any cleaning chemicals, and how they impact your daily tasks.
- When demonstrating post-trek care, emphasize welfare: look for signs of fatigue, dehydration, or injury, and explain your actions to the assessor as part of good practice.
Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to check the rider's ability and comfort before assigning a horse, leading to potential safety issues during the trek.
- Overlooking the condition of tack (e.g., worn stitching, cracked leather) which could compromise safety.
- Rushing the pre-trek health check and missing subtle signs of lameness or discomfort.
- Incorrectly fitting a bridle (e.g., too tight around the nose, bit sitting too high) causing pain or evasion.
- Not securely tying the horse during preparation, risking escape or injury.
- Forgetting to check and clean hooves, allowing stones or debris to cause bruising.
Examiner Marking Points
- Award credit for demonstrating correct fitting and adjustment of trekking tack (saddle, bridle, martingale if used) with clear safety checks (girth tightness, stirrup bar safety, bit fit).
- Award credit for conducting a thorough pre-trek horse assessment, including checking for lameness, wounds, temperament issues, and ensuring the horse is fit for the intended activity.
- Award credit for selecting and using appropriate equipment such as numnahs, boots, and reflective gear according to trek conditions and horse needs.
- Award credit for implementing systematic post-trek procedures: untacking, cooling down, checking for girth galls or rub injuries, and reporting any concerns to the supervisor.
- Award credit for adhering to health and safety legislation, including following risk assessments, maintaining safe working practices around horses, and using personal protective equipment.
- Award credit for demonstrating environmental good practice, such as appropriate muck disposal and maintaining cleanliness in the yard and tack room.