Coaching with Kindness: Teaching Kids Without Tearing Them Down
- afenner
- Aug 3
- 2 min read
There’s a difference between being tough and being harsh. And there’s a world of difference between raising gritty kids — and raising scared ones.
At Rad Rodeo, we coach with kindness. Not because it’s soft. Because it works.
Our goal isn’t to break spirits — it’s to build strong ones. And we’ve found that kids (and horses) go further when they feel supported, not shamed.
Correction Doesn’t Have to Hurt
It’s easy to bark from the fence. It’s harder to:
Choose words that teach, not tear.
Give feedback without frustration.
Remember this is their ride, not ours.
But when we stay calm and clear, kids actually hear us. And when they feel safe, they try harder next time.
What Kind Coaching Looks Like
At Rad Rodeo, we try to:
Give one correction at a time.
Start with what they did right.
Ask questions instead of just giving orders.
"What did you feel on that second barrel?" opens more doors than "You blew it again."
The Arena Is a Classroom
Every run is a lesson — but the learning only sticks if the rider stays open. Kindness keeps that door open.
We remind ourselves that:
Mistakes are part of progress.
Not every run needs a lecture.
The long game is more important than the short round.
Raising Resilient Riders
Kindness doesn’t mean coddling. Our kids:
Work and ride in the cold.
Work for it, because life is not a free ride.
Fix their own mistakes.
But they do it with confidence. Because they know we’re in their corner — not just critiquing from it.
Final Thoughts
Tough runs happen. So do bad days. But when our kids look back, we want them to remember:
"My parents believed in me — even when I didn’t believe in myself."
That’s the kind of coaching that builds champions. And that’s what we’re here to do.
--
Ann-Marie Fenner
Ranch Manager, Breeder, Rodeo Mom
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