My Opinion on the Use of Bits

I do not believe in the use of bits on horses. In my opinion, no horse needs a thick bar of metal sitting in their mouth! The bit sits directly on a very sensitive bone in the horses mouth, with a nerve called the trigemenal nerve. Janene Clemence says, on her blog called "To Bit or not to Bit" 
(http://www.naturalhorseworld.com/Downloads/ToBitorNottoBit.pdf), "The Trigemenal Nerve sits directly below the bit. The trigeminal nerve is directly enervated to the brain. Anyone who has had a toothache knows what nerve pain is! Trigemenal Nerve pain (Tic Douloureux) is one of the most severe pains known to mankind. Humans suffering from it begged to be killed as it is so unbearable"
"It is truly only a matter of choosing NOT to cause pain to the horse; bits are not necessary for control whether on the ground, up in the saddle, or when being driven...and a bit is not necessary at the ‘advanced’ level of dressage (or other sports) for ‘micro control’. There are ways to develop the horse correctly bitless for any discipline, and there are people to turn to that can help those who decide that the bit truly does not have a place in the mouth of a horse."

Many people argue that it depends completely on how you use the bit. I, however, could not disagree more. Horses are extremely sensitive animals, and their mouth is the most sensitive part of their bodies. They can feel it when a fly lands on their skin, so how would they not be able to feel metal sitting on the bone of their mouth? If the reins are being used, and the bit is simply placed in the horses mouth, the horse experiences severe pain. 

Arguments such as "my horse needs a bit, he is too strong and he bolts", "horses need bits, otherwise we could get majorly injured", or the common, "my horse likes his bit" are invalid. If one experiences a problem with a horse, it was most likely caused by distrust, fear, pain, or frustration. Horses were not born with bits in their mouthes, thus, they do not need them. 

If the bit is used in a very harsh and cruel way, many injuries can be caused to the horse, such as bleeding of the lungs, tooth loss, ripping of the skin of the mouth, etc. 

So many people are afraid of loss of control. But, it has been proven that a bit offers no more control than a bitless bridle. Someone who is using the bit for control is, in fact, misusing it, for the bit is supposedly made for a "communication tool". If this is the case, why couldn't we communicate just as effectively without the bit? Horses communicate through body language and energy, not by yanking on each others mouthes! Many people also do not realize or accept that control is an illusion, and we will never be able to find a way to force the horses understanding, love, or willingness. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading!