Toba wei armour

[cataphract]

img406.imageshack.us/img406/5643/attilaandnomadhordes03cc8.jpg

I always wondered about the peculiar leg protection the toba cataphract is wearing. The flap which can be clearly seen only covers the back side of the leg, leaving the side and the front of the leg uncovered.
After looking at the plate with a magnifying glass I thought I could see another flap(somewhat folded) in front of the leg. As the text says the warrior is reposing, he could have unfastened the frontal flap.
Another option is that the front and side protection of the leg is an extension of the horse's neck armour which could also cover the front and side of the warrior's legs.
In both cases together with the back protection the whole of the legs would have been covered.
I tend to go for the second option. I would like to hear your opinions about this.
Thanks
Greetings
Cataphract

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Actually, the frontal piece seems to be an extention of the horse neck armor. I think the man's leg armor is made to protect the front, but as you see, he is getting off from his horse, so it looks as i the armor flap is made to protect the back part of the leg.

[Temüjin]

the book says it's reconstructed after tomb figures and house carvings, so we need to have a look at the original references.

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

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[cataphract]

Sept 21, 2008 13:22:50 GMT 3 H. İhsan Erkoç said:

Actually, the fronal piece seems to be an extention of the horse neck armor. I think the man's leg armor is made to protect the front, but as you see, he is getting off from his horse, so it looks as i the armor flap is made to protect the back part of the leg.

What's the purpose of the horse's neck armour extension?
Can you agree with me that the purpose of this extension(which in the plate is somewhat folded) is to cover also the front of the rider's leg. The triangular shaped leg armour would then cover the rider's sides of his legs.
Cataphract

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

I am not sure, unfortunately