Assess the condition and hoof care requirements of the equine
Overview
"This standard covers the assessment of the overall condition of the equine and its hoof care requirements in order to determine a hoof care plan. This is critical to the comfort, activity level and welfare of the equine.
In order to assess the overall condition of the equine and its hoof care requirements, you will need to approach and handle the equine in a manner that minimises distress and alarm. You need to find a working position that is safe for the equine and anyone involved in the work including yourself.
You will need to observe the equine while it is stationary and in motion. You will need to discuss the overall condition and desired activity level of the equine and agree the hoof care requirements with the responsible person. You will know how to assess the condition and requirements for a variety of equines.
You need to be aware of your own limitations and confirm that you meet the relevant legal responsibilities for providing your duty of care under animal health and welfare legislation, codes of practice and policies of the business.
The responsible person can be anyone who has responsibility for the equine such as the owner, trainer, groom or hoof care practitioner.
This standard is for UK Equine Hoof Care practitioner ."
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work professionally and ethically and within the limits of your authority, expertise, training, competence and experience 2. comply with the relevant animal health and welfare and animal-related legislation and associated codes of practice 3. carry out your work in accordance with the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, codes of practice and policies of the business 4. select and wear suitable clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) 5. maintain hygiene and biosecurity in accordance with the relevant legislation and business practice 6. select the method of handling and control that is required for the equine concerned and its requirements in order to reduce the risks to the equine and maintain the safety of anyone involved in the work, including yourself 7. assess the requirements of the equine considering its physiological needs and its environment 8. identify the anatomical directions, hoof anatomy, general anatomy and physiology of an equine 9. assess the locomotion of the equine, taking into account the relationship between the equines locomotion and its conformation 10. discuss and agree the hoof care requirements of the equine with the responsible person 11. maintain communication with all those involved in, or affected by your work 12. confirm that records are completed, maintained and stored as required by the relevant legislation and business practice
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- your professional responsibilities and the need to maintain professional competence 2. your responsibilities under the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, codes of practice and the policies of your business 3. your responsibilities under current animal health and welfare legislation, other relevant animal regulations and codes of practice, and the legal limitations of the current Veterinary Surgeons Act with regard to diagnosis and treatment of disease or injury 4. the type of clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable for the activity 5. the importance of maintaining hygiene and biosecurity and the methods for achieving these 6. the different breeds and types of equine, their characteristics and behavioral traits 7. the basic anatomy and physiology of the equine 8. the functional hoof anatomy and biomechanics of the equine 9. the topographical anatomy of the hoof of an equine 10. how to recognise the points and regions of the equine 11. the relevant equine terminology and anatomical directions 12. how to assess the demands of different equine activities on the hoof 13. how to assess conformation of an equine 14. how to recognise irregularities of basic locomotion and action in an equine 15. the anatomy and physiology of the healthy equine and how the presenting picture differs from this 16. how to score body condition and the impact of body condition on overall health and the health of the equine hoof 17. the impact of injuries, degenerative and developmental abnormalities on equine hoof health 18. the importance of maintaining communication with those involved in, or affected by, your work and how this should be done 19. the records that need to be kept and the importance of completing them in accordance with the relevant legislation and business practice
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Equine: a horse or other member of the horse family including donkeys, mules, hinnies and asses. Locomotion: equine locomotion is required for proper joint growth and maintenance, hoof growth and health, as well as respiratory health, circulatory health and metabolism. Conformation: equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse's bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other. Undesirable conformation can limit the ability to perform a specific task.