ACM30821 Certificate III in Horse Care

In order to achieve this qualification, students must complete eighteen (18) units made up of nine (9) core units and nine (9) elective units.

The electives chosen must include:

• 5 units must be selected from any of the units listed in Groups A and B
• The remaining 4 units may be selected from Groups A, B, C or D
• Up to 2 units may be selected from any currently endorsed Training Package or accredited course
  electives from Group D can only be selected where required as a prerequisite.
• At least 5 of the 9 electives selected must be coded at indicative AQF level 3 or above or reflect AQF level 3 outcomes or above.

You must complete 18 units of study to complete the course. Details of the available units are provided in the Course descriptions PDF, 447 KB.

The horse industry is a large employer in the Hunter and other parts of NSW. Jobs include stable hands, strappers, track riders, stationhands, vet assistants, polo grooms, horse breakers/trainers, and stud work for the thoroughbred and pleasure horse industries.

Some students continue onto the Certificate IV in Agriculture or undertake further studies in horse husbandry at other institutions.

Participants must:

• Demonstrate prior experience with horses and sound riding ability during the application and screening process.
• Be physically capable of performing active, outdoor equine care and property maintenance duties, including standing for long periods, walking across uneven ground, lifting and carrying heavy stable equipment/feed (up to 10–15 kg), and working in varying weather conditions.
• Be comfortable working directly with large, unpredictable animals (including foals, weaners, and young horses) while strictly adhering to safety instructions.
• Supply and wear mandatory protective equestrian gear and workwear, including an approved equestrian riding helmet (meeting current Australian standards), fitted riding boots, steel-capped work boots for ground duties, broad-brim hat, long-sleeved shirts, and work gloves.
• Strictly comply with farm biosecurity protocols, animal welfare guidelines, and Work Health and Safety (WHS) procedures.

Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Capability Requirements

To complete this qualification successfully, participants will need:

• Reading: Interpreting horse health and feed charts, veterinary treatment directions, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), chemical labels, and farm WHS procedures.
• Writing: Completing daily horse health observation logs, feed schedules, medication/deworming records, chemical application sheets, and incident reports.
• Numeracy: Calculating feed rations and weight-based supplement/medication dosages, measuring paddock allocation sizes, calculating chemical dilution rates, and tracking horse body condition scores.
• Oral Communication & Hearing: Communicating clearly with supervisors, veterinary personnel, and team members in noisy paddock/stable environments, responding instantly to emergency directions, and handling high-stress animal behavior scenarios safely.
• Digital Literacy: Basic computer or smartphone/tablet skills to navigate the online learning portal, access course resources, and submit assessment tasks.

One year, full-time.

The course is delivered at Tocal College, which has up-to-date training facilities and equipment, as well as commercial and demonstration farm enterprises including beef, dairy, sheep, horses, poultry and cropping.

Tocal runs over 100 stock horses including a group of brood mares which are used to breed replacements. Foals and yearlings are handled by students, and students break in and train young horses.

Facilities for College horses include horse paddocks and yards, tack  room and stables. The College property of 2200 hectares runs up to 1500 beef cattle, and all stock work is done with horses.

Fees are charged for the course studied (including the Smart and Skilled Student Fee), as well as board & lodging (includes room, meals, laundry), and Student Association & Recreation, and Resource & Equipment Levies.

Fees are payable at the start of each term or by fortnightly instalments. Specific information on fees is available on the Course fees page and also in the Student Handbook PDF, 7307.8 KB.

There are a large number of scholarships available for students enrolled at Tocal. Further information about these, and the relevant application forms are available on our Financial Assistance page.

Many students also qualify for Youth Allowance or Abstudy which may allow concessions or exemptions from the NSW Smart and Skilled Student Fee, fortnightly support payments or coverage of other fees (contact Centrelink for more information).

For information on students rights and responsibilities, and the Tocal College Code of Practice see Student policies.

Tocal youth education students have the opportunity to complete more than the minimum number of units required at no extra charge. These extra units provide students with a broader range of skills and experience and are based on feedback from industry and the employers of Tocal graduates. Completing these extra units increases a student’s employability skills and industry readiness, making them more desirable to potential employers.

Tocal also has articulation (credit for study at Tocal) arrangements in place with a number of Australian universities. For further information please contact us.

Support is available via email, phone, face to face on-campus, and through Cloud Assess (the online learner management system).