[10] The "Parelli Natural Horsemanship University" was approved as a "private occupational school" by the Colorado Department of Higher Education in 2003.
In finesse, the rider generally keeps close but gentle head/mouth contact and uses communication from body cues developed by practice with freestyle riding to give instructions to the horse about gross motor skill topics such as gait and direction while reserving the reins for discussions regarding refined elements such as bend in the body.
These orthogonal (opposite) factors were presented in a quadrant configuration labeled LBI, LBE, RBI, and RBE.
The goal is to provide a positive language for perceiving horses and use this terminology to link to recommended natural training approaches.
Horsenality and Humanality have no relationship to other assessments such as the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), Marston's DiSC, or the Big Five (OCEAN).
[17] Craig Johnson has ridden in PNH demonstrations,[18] Walter Zettl has given Linda private dressage lessons for several years and features various Parelli products on his website.
[25] There has been criticism of the more prominent natural horsemanship practitioners in general, including Parelli (as well as Clinton Anderson and John Lyons), with suggestions that the movement is cultlike, in the sense that some practitioners and their followers condemn all other training methods, and that it is "gimmicky and over-commercialized,"[26] sells overpriced materials, and charges "exorbitant" prices for clinics and to obtain certification as a trainer.
[26] Critics assert that Parelli has merely renamed traditional training techniques such as longeing, and in doing so, he markets horsemanship information that is widely available and has been passed down for generations, considered to be common sense by those knowledgeable of the horse.
[28] Others note that similar difficulties can be expected in any circumstance wherein an inexperienced person is handling a horse without professional supervision.
[32] The Parellis have been subject to criticism because in most of their materials, they do not wear equestrian helmets and have published statements indicating they did not personally advocate their use other than for certain high-risk activities.
[33] In 2009 they amended their position, by publishing a statement on Facebook advocating helmet use for beginners, requiring it for children under 18 at their own facility, and advising all riders "to thoroughly evaluate their situation".
[34] As of 2016[update], they still do not advocate helmets for all riders in spite of Linda Parelli having been "knocked out" as a result of a fall from a horse that stumbled in May 2009.
[38] In mid-2010 Pat Parelli was videoed working with a stallion using a gum-line and holding up the horse's front leg with a rope.