At my barn we use both, we have an OTTB who's rider has heavy hands, and he is SOOOOO much happier without her hanging on his mouth. He goes in an English sidepull.

The other horse is my trainers horse, she was ridden too long in a bit that didn't fit with a rider with crap for hands. SHe hates all bits now. She pulls and fights and chomps on anything we put in her mouth. She will tolerate it long enough to get through the dressage portion of her event, but then it's out. She goes beautiful in a fleece noseband hack for her jumpers and x-country.

So no, not against bits at all, just willing to look at whatever option works best for each horse, and sometimes it's just the opposite of what you would think. Some people suggested a harsher bit fot those horses, but less was more for them.

Course we also had a horse that is only happy in the Mylar level 3 with the highest port, not because he needs a lot of bit, but because he has an itty bitty mouth with a big fat tongue and that's the only one that has enough tongue relief for him. Go figure!!