I have found a Buena Vista saddle for sale, that was supposedly used in the CW and supposedly dates to the 1850's. I know that these were used in the CW, but they are still in production today. Anybody know any clues to look for to date this saddle?

I observed that it does not have any nickle plating on it, and the stirrups are brass. The stirrups resemble "artillery" stirrups, but where your foot rests is a wide flat area, so thin as to be almost like sheet metal. It is stuffed with what appears to me to be horse-hair. The stuffing is held in by a cotton batting (sp? batten?). It does not look quite like any other Buena Vista that I've seen, as the rise behind the seat/back area comes up quite high...maybe five or six inches as opposed to the usual two or three inches.