That sounds like what they used to call a shank snaffle. If that is what it is, it's only to be used with the lightest of hands because the combination of those shanks and the jointed snaffle presents the possibility of a nut cracker action, really pinching the horse's mouth.
It's been a VERY long time since I rode Western, but I had a couple of friends who were very successful in the Western show disciplines. One gal had the national champion Appaloosa trail horse. They both used a regular round snaffle for all training then slipped a curb bit in for shows, returning to the snaffle for schooling. This is how we handled my grandson's dressage horse when he wanted to show in Western pleasure at the county fair. He won his division, too. He also did really well in hunter over fences and on his dressage test, all on his very nice QH gelding. Nancy
