Bit Types- Bits! The good the bad and the ugly! Western riders tend to go with curbs, and I promise, there are some very ugly, rage face inducing curbs out there-and many people consider them too scary, or severe to use, but they don't have to be.
Snaffle- A jointed bit with no shanks, snaffles come in many (many, many) types, from highly severed to very gentle. Snaffles are for direct reining, and are predominantly English, though they may be used in Western riding (and are often seen on young, green stock). Some western classes (I'm looking at you, western pleasure!) don't allow snaffles after a horse reaches a certain age (six, I think?)