There's no doubt that bullhorns will convert your brake pull into a simple squeeze action compared to the reachdown and pull back action needed when riding on the hoods with a road bike. If you need to keep your hands more in line with your forearms when doing this then bullhorns are THE way to go and I think you'll do well with them.
I recently got my own first bullhorn bike and I'm loving it. Various hand options along with really easy to use brake applications. I'm running Cane Creek bar end tri levers in my case. I'm thinking I may also add inline cyclocross brake levers to the inner cross bar area as well so I have access to braking when I'm riding on the straight section to sit up more for casual moments.
I'm curious about using brifters or aero levers on the bar ends given how the housings run into the tops of the levers. I take it you end up with flying housings instead of under the bar tape? Or do you just live with an extreme bend in the housing?