Hartpury College, officially Hartpury University and Hartpury College, is a provider of further and higher education which describes itself as specialising in the "agriculture, animal, equine, sport and veterinary nursing" sectors. The university and college is set in a 360-hectare estate located in Hartpury, near Gloucester, in Gloucestershire, England.
The inclusion of the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is recommended for athletic populations to help reduce hamstring and ACL injury risk via increasing eccentric hamstring strength. However, previous research is yet to identify effective verbal cues to optimise NHE performance. Therefore, this study examined whether kinetic, kinematic, and neuromuscular responses differ when using an external-distal (DIST), external-proximal (PROX), internal (INT) or neutral cue (CON). Twenty-two trained young female athletes (16-18 years) performed three NHE repetitions per cue in a randomised, crossover, counterbalanced design. Peak force, knee breakpoint angle, peak knee velocity and electromyography of the semitendinosus and bicep femoris long-head muscles were recorded. Peak force was significantly higher in CON and DIST compared with INT and PROX (similar to 10-16 N, d = 0.58-0.72), while CON produced a lower breakpoint angle than other cues (similar to 9-12 degrees, d = 0.95-1.24), indicating greater range of motion. CON also elicited the highest peak knee velocity (similar to 31-38 degrees & centerdot;s-1, d = 1.45-1.92) and greater semitendinosus activation (similar to 10-14%, d = 0.32-0.42), with no differences observed for biceps femoris activation. Overall, the CON cue consistently enhanced kinetic, kinematic, and neuromuscular responses during the NHE. The instruction "lower yourself slowly to the ground" therefore appears to be an effective strategy to further enhance NHE performance. Coaches prescribing the NHE within injury-prevention programmes for youth female athletes can adopt this combined exercise-and-cue approach to develop eccentric hamstring strength.
Online peer support (mutual aid provided by individuals with lived experience through digital platforms such as forums, messaging groups, or video meetings) has demonstrated benefits across health contexts but remains underexplored in gambling harm recovery. This study explored how online peer support for gambling harm is used and experienced, including perceived benefits, risks, and its role within broader support pathways, from the perspectives of (i) individuals with lived experience and (ii) professionals providing gambling harm support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 participants with lived experience of gambling harm and 24 service providers. Participants were recruited via gambling support services, social media, and word-of-mouth. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with input from a lived experience panel to enhance validity and relevance. Three core themes emerged from lived experience accounts: healing through connection; when support spaces become unsafe; and accessibility and crisis prevention. Service provider interviews generated four complementary themes: navigating access to support; modes, preferences, and structures of support; evolving and individualistic recovery; and complexities of the peer-supporter role. Online peer support offers a valuable complement to professional treatment by fostering belonging, trust, and hope through shared experience. Its effectiveness depends on safety, inclusivity, and proportionate moderation. Flexible, co-designed models that accommodate diverse needs and safeguard both users and peer supporters are critical for sustainable, equitable provision.
Anurans are among the most threatened vertebrates worldwide, yet their acoustic ecology in fragmented habitats remains understudied. This research investigated acoustic overlaps and resource partitioning among amphibian species inhabiting Maceira Pond in Capara & oacute; National Park, Brazil using bioacoustic methods. Six hours of recordings were analysed to determine key acoustic parameters and identify the resident species. A principal component analysis was used to assess acoustic parameters, whilst a cluster analysis examined acoustic similarities. Twelve species from four families were detected, of which eight were identified and five remained unidentified. Four species showed over 90% acoustic overlap, while two had less than 50%, with one at about 17%. Central frequency, peak frequency, duration, bandwidth, and pace significantly contributed to call differentiation. The R-value confirmed clustering patterns, indicating likely low acoustic interference due to few sympatric species. This study provides the first acoustic niche assessment for this community and highlights the need for further research on spatial and temporal partitioning in these threatened amphibian assemblages.
Researchers are increasingly engaged in studies to determine and correct negative welfare consequences of animal husbandry and behaviour modification procedures, not least in response to industries' growing need to maintain their social licence through demonstrable welfare standards that address public expectations. To ensure that welfare recommendations are scientifically credible, the studies must be rigorously designed and conducted, and the data produced must be interpreted with full regard to conceptual, methodological, and experimental design limitations. This commentary provides guidance on these matters. In addition to, and complementary with, the ARRIVE guidelines that deal with animal studies in general, there is a need for additional specific advice on the design of studies directed at procedures that alter behaviour, whether through training, handling, or restraint. The COMPASS Guidelines offer clear direction for conducting welfare-focused behaviour modification research. They stand for the following: Controls and Calibration, emphasising rigorous design, baseline measures, equipment calibration, and replicability; Objectivity and Open data, ensuring transparency, validated tools, and data accessibility; Motivation and Methods, with a focus on learning theory, behavioural science, and evidence-based application of positive reinforcers and aversive stimuli; Precautions and Protocols, embedding the precautionary principle, minimising welfare harms, listing stop criteria, and using real-time monitoring; Animal-centred Assessment, with multimodal welfare evaluation, using physiological, behavioural, functional, and objective indicators; Study ethics and Standards, noting the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement), welfare endpoints, long-term effects, industry independence, and risk-benefit analysis; and Species-relevance and Scientific rigour, facilitating cross-species applicability with real-world relevance and robust methodology. To describe these guidelines, the current article is organised into seven major sections that outline detailed, point-by-point considerations for ethical and scientifically rigorous design. It concludes with a call for continuous improvement and collaboration. A major purpose is to assist animal ethics committees when considering the design of experiments. It is also anticipated that these Guidelines will assist reviewers and editorial teams in triaging manuscripts that report studies in this context.
The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) aims to improve coaching quality by identifying essential capabilities within different participant contexts. This study focused on the performance development context, examining the specific coaching skills required to tailor coach education effectively. Seven expert performance development coaches (n = 5 females; n = 2 males), identified by the BEF, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to identify key coaching capabilities. Findings highlighted two major themes. First, expert coaches are coaches with expertise and experience, and effective coaches are empowering, as coaching extends beyond technical and tactical instruction, enabling athletes to become autonomous. Coaches recognized the importance of influencing riders psychologically and emotionally, not just through skill instruction. Coaches are open-minded, as they actively seek transferable skills and value knowledge from expert coaching in other sports, viewing cross-disciplinary learning as beneficial to their development. Secondly, expert coaches are adaptable, working comfortably across multiple contexts rather than exclusively within performance development. They emphasized that most coaching capabilities are required in all contexts, albeit to varying degrees. The pathway to expertise requires a substantial base of declarative and procedural knowledge, alongside extensive coaching, training, and competitive experience. While findings align with broader coaching literature, differences emerged due to the unique nature of equestrian sport, particularly the rider–horse dynamic. Further research into other coaching contexts is needed to develop a holistic understanding, ensuring these findings inform coach education across the equestrian sector.
