Hi! Re-rider here looking to get back into casual riding on my semi-retired TB now that my kids are taking lessons and I can get to the barn more. I haven’t ridden much in the last 3 years and before that was doing lower level dressage and have a custom saddlery dressage saddle. I sold my close contact saddle years back when I switched from the AA hunters to dressage (I had a CWD and butet in the 19 years I’ve had this horse) and now want to again get a CC saddle to bop around in as I’d like to go in that direction again instead of dressage. TB mare is 25 but sound and happy and still my amateur dreamboat. She’s bigger boned and likely would be a medium or medium wide tree. I’d love to get a CC saddle for less than $1,000 (ish) and was wondering thoughts on the Dover Circuit, older CWD or older devoucoux. I’d love this to be a simple, straight forward thing as I’m not doing much but still want the saddle to fit my lovely lady! I’ve been down the saddle rabbit hole before and don’t want to go there again anytime soon! Thanks for any insight!
If you can up your budget just a bit to “under $2,000,” I highly recommend Fineline Tack (finelinetack.com). You can get a nice used saddle of a better brand and they have a saddle fitter who will work with you online to get a saddle that fits. They make it really easy and surprisingly economical to take saddles on trial.
I got the nicest, most comfortable saddle I’ve ever had through them. My horse outgrew it just a couple of years later. 
In response to your question about specific saddle brands:
Some years ago I leased a horse that came with a Dover Circuit and was surprised how nice it was for a “bargain” saddle. But I don’t know anything about the newer models.
I’m riding in a Devoucoux right now and like it very much, but I think even a well used one is going to be more than $1000.
I have a 2014 17.5” Antarès that I’m looking to sell for like $900 actually. It’s well loved but sound!
Agree it will be tough to find what you’re looking for otherwise with such a low budget.
I ride strictly in older model saddles. I’m an older model myself. I still have the saddle I rode in as a late teenager/young adult in the late 70s, a Courbette Stylist I. This is a “close contact” saddle, it has no “padding” or “knee rolls”. I rode in the Open Jumper division with this saddle, and still love it. I also have several Crosby PDNs, a Sovreign, a flat stubben, etc. I have picked all these others up locally, usually for less than $100. They are built to last, not like what is made today. It’s easy and cheap to get billets replaced, if needed. Are these saddles “in style”? NO. Do I care? NO. Do I want to ride in a saddle that puts a lot of “padding” between me and my horse? NO. Do I want to own a saddle that might get a “mark” on it if the tackroom cat decides to nap on it? NO. Do I think that “the saddle holds me secure on the horse”? No, it’s my seat and leg that does that, not the saddle. Do I care if a judge doesn’t want to give me a “placing” in a class because of the saddle I use? I would have no interest in being judged by such a person.
Look around, see what’s available. Find a saddle that suits you, and fits you and your horse. It doesn’t have to be expensive.
If your horse fit in one of the older Butets, you can definitely find one in good condition in your price range, and I think they hold up really well. I am fortunate to have a horse that fits well in this saddle, and I still show in a 1992 model. This saddle is not for every horse, but I personally think the 1990s Butets can’t be beat for my own feel and balance.
They are on the narrow side, so may not fit with your described tree preference. But since you said you had one before that worked for this horse, I wanted to mention the option.
My barn uses the Dover Circuit line as school saddles. Dover has done a really good job making nicely balanced saddles with a reasonable range of variations in rider and horse fit at a very accessible price point, and they’ve held up well.
For an older French saddle at about $1000, know you’re probably going to also have to budget for new billets (the saddle is probably old enough that replacement would be prudent) and possibly new panels, as the old ones may have been worn flat. If you can bump up your budget to the $2000 range to account both for the initial cost and the repairs, that could help you get into one of these.
I sold my 90’s Butet when I got out of horses “for good” and miss it so much - I got a 2010 Butet to replace it but something about it just isn’t the same.
To the OP - If Butets fit your horse, you can definitely find them in or under budget. I will be selling mine around your budget in the near future (17”, 2010, deep seat / forward flap I believe) but it’s a bit narrow for my chunky TB.
