Um…

If a “willful” horse only behaves with a bit, that is telling you a whole lot. It is telling you the horse only respects your “suggested” commands when you can back them up with the “threat” of pain. Even a slight movement of metal against your teeth, can hurt quite a “bit”…if you don’t believe it, try it for yourself: stick the tip of a spoon in your mouth, then lightly tap your top teeth, then your bottom teeth. Then have a friend do it to you, too see if their idea of “gentle” is the same as yours, then swap places and do it again, this time you being gentle to your friend’s teeth.

Now, do the same exercise with a complete stranger.
Now do it with someone who is frustrated, or even angry with you. Even if they think they are being gentle in that state of frustration, it will be significantly less gentle than a dear friend who is actively thinking about not hurting you.

Just because a horse willingly takes a bit, because he has been trained (broken) to do so, does not mean it isn’t painful when moved inside the mouth.

Anyone who had ever been trained by a parent to obey, by being spanked, understands this psychological situation. Grandma used to have us pick out our own switch, then bring it to her so she could slap us with it.

Do not think for one moment of utter stupidity that the whipping hurt less because we meekly handed her the whip. We were trained. Broken. And that is why that term is used for any kind of training that involves breaking the will of someone.

If you haven’t had a bit in your own mouth, in the hands of both gentle & ungentle alike, then you frankly have no basis to argue for the continued use of them. Training with pain is always easier. Why do you think grams used a switch? Cuz she had a ranch to run, and didn’t have time to have philosophical debates with willful children. Most house trainers don’t, either.

It does not mean that just because it works, it is the right way to do it.

I use a bitless bridle on my horse, but I also believe in a soft bit as well. They respond quicker with a bit, but some horses don’t need them. If I were an inventer I would create a bit that had some type of a hard rubber bit, not steel, just hard enough to send him the signal to respond to what you are asking him to do. Also, if you use a bitless bridle they still have to be taught to respect you, they need to be taught it doesn’t give them the okay to do what ever they wish to do. Words are the best comand signals plus a little nudge with you foot. My horse does fine with his bitless, but I have had other horses that tested me every time I rode. All in all, I think it really depends on the horse.