Circle C Natural Horsemanship

Hi, my name is James Cooler. Horses have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I was fortunate to be introduced to Natural Horsemanship at the age of 12. My father had the opportunity to learn directly from respected horsemen such as Buck Brannaman, Pat Parelli, and John Lyons by attending their clinics and seminars. When he returned home, he passed that knowledge on to me through their videos, books, and hands-on practice.

As my family continued to learn and build upon this knowledge, we began teaching clinics in rural Montana, where I gained valuable experience working with difficult horses and starting young colts under saddle.  That journey culminated into Circle C Natural Horsemanship, named in honor of everyone in my family who had a hand in helping to build our program that I teach today.

Over the past 20 years, my wife, Kate, and I have helped hundreds of students strengthen their relationship with their horses through the principles of horse psychology—what Natural Horsemanship truly means to me.

Having recently relocated to Aiken, SC, I’m excited to offer one-on-one coaching for horse owners from all disciplines and backgrounds. I believe that every horse and every training style can benefit from a deeper understanding of horse psychology, and I welcome the opportunity to share how it can enhance your personal training program.

As a South Carolina native, I’m grateful to be back home and would welcome the opportunity to learn about your goals and share more about Circle C Natural Horsemanship.

What I’ve always found fascinating about the horses that have come into my life is that I never intentionally went searching for them.  Much the opposite, they seemed to find me.  Moonshine, clever young colt from a mare my father owned and rode was born into our family when I was 12 years old.  Indigo, a striking horse with more fire than his previous owner cared for, fascinated me the first time I worked with him during a horsemanship demonstration I was putting on in Montana.  Deuce, a once-in-a-lifetime type of horse, entered my world through the Road to the Horse Wild Card competition I was fortunate enough to be a part of.  And Cantata, a high-energy mare that three trainers had given up on, seemed to be a mare that nobody wanted, prompting her to capture my heart when I was asked to work with her and I knew she was meant to come home and join our herd.

All four horses taught me to become a better horseman in their own unique way and found a special place in my heart along the way. I’ve dedicated a web page to each one of them in hopes of sharing how they influenced my understanding of horses and natural horsemanship.