In Canada, I’d keep an eye out for an older Childeric M. Mine needs a new seat, but I keep it around because it has worked for a surprising number of horses. In fact, I broke it out for months last winter. My horse was having some health issues including back pain, and he’s really sensitive in the shoulders. He was on the narrower side having lost topline. There’s really no way this saddle actually fits his withers, but he said it was the only thing that was acceptable for a while. I used a shim pad to lift the back. I think he liked that the shoulder area was so broken in and I’d cut the knee blocks out decades ago.
After some months, we could go back to his usual saddle. And now he’s built so much topline he needs a new saddle not in my collection (ugh).
I contemplated getting a second one since they are still relatively affordable, and I will eventually send it off for a new seat. But I won’t ever get rid of it.
Of course some older ones will be a little inflated in price since new ones (of everything) are more expensive and take longer to get, but the price point is still pretty reasonable compared to some other brands. And I think they tend to hold their stuffing a bit better than similar vintage Butets and especially Tads. I don’t think I’d buy a Tad outside of the US since most likely a well used one would need some refurbishment by Tad (in VA).
)
) Then suddenly, I found myself wanting something NOW for the horse under me and not finding it.
My dad made me get it out of storage–it was his saddle; why it became my problem and I had to schlep it across the US I’ll never know. I rode in one in my pony years, long gone now. My dad never really rode, and so it’s like new because it has spent most decades in the house or climate controlled storage. But it’s an 18" and I am not. And I have 4 saddles of my own already with 
