My top 3 picks would be Morgan, Arab or Saddlebred
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My arabs are super well minded and usually the quietest critters on the trail. I bred Russian/polish lined horses. There are some more modern lines that I have not enjoyed as much. But every animal is an individual and some rescues have not had a good experience getting and staying under saddle.
You have to evaluate each horse individually and decide if they will work for you.
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I just listed my favorite breeds for trail- obviously individuals would need to evaluate
Although, strictly speaking for my own personal horses, I would take a unsuited trail Arab and train it before I’d take a perfectly suited stock breed lol
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In my trail rider experience my best mounts were an Uruguayan Criollo and an Haflinger. Sure footed, level headed, very versatile horses. My actual appendix is not bad but not as sure footed and a bit hot expecially when in company, lots of stamina anyway!
When we did our pack trips with @OnAMission the two Arabs I rode were my favorites. They are so catty in their ability to navigate things easily.
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One of these days I’m going to make it out there to ride with her!
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First look for a horse you enjoy being with, doing and going places first, one that makes you smile big.
What color/breed and other will sort itself out.
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@sorrelfilly721 --some mules do need a specific mule saddle, others use horse saddles. Be aware mules live a lot longer than horses so u might have a good mule for 30-40 years.
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That’s the challenge. I bought a yearling from a wild herd here who are known for their great minds and surefootedness. I ADORED her. She brought me more joy than any horse I ever owned. About five months ago she turned 2 1/2 and very suddenly stopped eating and had liquid poo. She spent 10 days at the vet hospital and they were unable to determine what killed her other than an inflamed colon. I should have done a necropsy, but had already spent so much on the hospital stay, I didn’t. Now I’m afraid to get another one from that herd and have the same thing happen. Many many horses have lived on this property for over 50 years and never had an issue. Many of them have lived into their late 30’s. It broke my heart.
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Sounds like you would do well with a mustang.
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Nope.
Rode all 3 in my Stubben A/P.
Now use my semi-custom Stubben Maestoso (pictured on #3)
ETA:
Oops.
Replied to the wrong post 
So sorry, that is heartbreaking.
She and Feronia were a good trail combo, but Feronia had to trot to catch up a lot. (Note Feronia was slow for a Morgan.)
Best trail horses I’ve ridden over the years, in order:
- Morgan
- Appy
- Mustang
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My friends got me into Pasos. Unfortunately the one I bought had major issues but he could fly through rough terrain.
After that I moved onto Foxtrotters. One has a fantastic gait and a lovely canter. The other needs work because given a choice, she would rather pace. Both have fantastic temperaments.
I don’t like the walking horses I’ve ridden. One had too much swing in her walk and my back didn’t like it. If you gaited everywhere she was fantastic. Her walk was terrible. Many are bred to pace so finding one with a good gait is difficult.
for many, many years my family rode in competitive trail (NATRC) we used our horses that were primarily used for national shows.
There was everything being ridden from general grade horses to a few that were six figure horses with impressive pedigrees.
These rides upper levels were usually fifty to sixty miles over a weekend. Honestly no one breed was an absolute best,
We enjoyed taking our horses out specifically for a break from their day jobs, but these “show horses” turned into regional and national competitive trail horses just having fun doing so,
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Absolutely 100% Best option is a Walking Horse imho. I’ve ridden an Arab on the trail, but so done with that. Spooks including the famous spin-and-teleport-sideways maneuver because: tall grass exists (no joke), arguing that yes Horse, it IS safe to walk across the unmowed strip of grass (sending a theme here? 
), etc. Not to mention no longer dealing with the joint pain from posting/riding a trotting horse!
The calm, SENSIBLE, sweet temperament on a Walker is just so refreshing and relaxing to ride, especially out on trails! And that SMOOTH glide ride is just heaven. Every single person I ever put on my gelding, without exception, would grin and laugh the first time he started gaiting whether they were an experienced rider (of trotters, never on a gaited horse) or first time rider. Nothing like it! 
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I adored my Morgan horse, but he did not love trail riding. I think he found it trivial. He preferred the clear agenda of ringwork. It was better if I set up tasks along the trail, such as “Now we will go unnecessarily deliver this unnecessary thing to that neighbor so you can feel you are doing a Very Important Job. Now we will have you ‘help’ me unnecessarily move this totally insignificant branch off of the trail.” But he did have the most endearing personality and was super smart, as well as being beyond handsome.
My Arabian was not as cuddly and in your pocket, and she was less-enthused with ringwork, but she was stellar on any trail, any time, any day, and on a number of times protected me before herself.
Each of them was perfect, but if you could have smooshed them together, they would have been even more perfectly perfect.
So, yeah. Go with the individual, not the breed.
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Team Arab here. (Really I’m Team Horse that Works for You, but definitely think Arabians deserve at least a nomination.) The stamina and “try” are terrific. They’ve got good feet, and their smart and curious nature lends itself to being happy to head out somewhere new, rather than being a basket case when you leave the driveway. Plus they’re small enough that mounting from the ground is easy.
The Teleportation Spook is real. But they can do that in your home ring just as much – mine will make up excuses to shy when he’s bored, and flatwork is much less engaging than hacking through the woods. Whereas trucks, bikes, dogs, deer, divebombing hawks, snakes, flapping tarps, surprise hikers and killer plastic bags have all been met with aplomb.
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one thing I notice was a Buckskin horse always seem to believe they were better than others no matter what the breeding
my daughter had one who thought he was invincible
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