I have a CWD on trial and am trying to figure out if it fits properly. How should the rear calf blocks fit and what is their purpose?
Mostly their purpose is to look cool. I suppose they might stop your lower leg from slipping really far back, but generally rear calf blocks should not touch your leg. They are just kind of “there.”
Agreed that you shouldn’t know they’re there, but if the saddle fit is wrong, they may affect your position. I’d never had them before a saddle I bought temporarily (while waiting for a custom to be made). It was a small saddle but I’ve never had an issue with that - til this one, because of that block. I couldn’t stay with my horse jumping up banks - kept falling behind. Turns out it was because the block was too close and my leg couldn’t move back far enough to stay vertical. So worth hopping up some banks before you decide if it fits, if you’re concerned.
I feel like on a saddle with a flap they can work with the knee blocks and knee rolls to give you a little more surface area to grip by pushing out the back part of the flap a little? That’s just a guess.
Can’t imagine them serving any purpose on a monoflap. If they even come into contact with your leg you’ve got some serious issues happening.
Saddles are getting wild anymore. Look at these new dressage saddles with the outback style thigh blocks. They’re about two steps away from having a leaping horn! Then again some of these big moving warmbloods make that sound kind of reasonable. Maybe I’m on to something!
I agree with @Saskatoonian . In particular it seems that shorter people may find the thigh block forces the leg too far forward and doesn’t allow the flap to mold the way you want it to. Usually they are pretty easy to remove though, as long as the flap itself isn’t molded/shaped around the block.
I am short and have odd legs and even in a neutral position my calf will touch the back block unless I have a 1aa flap. The devocoux rep told me if I got that saddle I would have to replace the blocks every 6 months or so. I did ask if the blocks could be removed and he looked at me like I had 6 heads so I guess most people leave them.
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my saddle person said the rear blocks are for those Oh no moments when I horse stops short or twirls. to give you stability.
They definitely come in handy during “oh shoot” moments where you get bumped out of place. In perfect moments you shouldn’t feel them at all
