I know you are absolutely correct, I have a completely fictional view of the suitability of string horses!
I wish I could know more about my mare’s background. I believe she was well trained and cared for but her owner fell on hard times and could not pay her board anymore. I don’t know much about QHs but I understand her lineage is quite nice. She was brought to my trainer’s attention by an acquaintance of hers who knew we were looking for a a very specific horse for an “old lady rider.”
Wow, what a journey you’ve been on with your horse - it sounds so rewarding! I definitely take your point on hand-walking. It is very likely I will do a ton of that before ever riding down our trails. Both for the reasons you say, and also because currently, our trails were cut by a Can-Am, and I haven’t even walked them on my own feet yet. We have a lot of work to do to ensure they are suitable for people and horses to walk on, without dangerous ground and overhanging obstacles. We plan to ensure they are relatively smooth, have no branches hanging over, and also put down chipped wood to make a springy surface.
Such great advice, thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I replied to another poster, I suspect I’ll be doing a ton of handwalking in the near future, both on my own two feet before she even gets to the property, and afterwards, once we’ve slowly started to move out of the arena and onto the trails.
You sound like you’re living my husband’s dream life - mounted shooting, cutting deer on horseback. If only I took those up his years of throwing corn all over the property would finally pay off! 
Seriously, though, I feel so privileged to have found my mare. She is a much better horse than I ever will be a rider. She teaches me something every day!
That clinic sounds really fun, I will have to see if something like this is available anywhere near me!
The horses I buy are already trail horses, but I still “polish them up” a bit.
I get blue, black and silver tarps, lie them around the round pen and first hand walk then ride the horse over them. You want a trail horse to walk over anything.
If you can, create a muddy spot somewhere and walk your horse through.
If you have access to cavaletti (jumps will do), start walking your horse over them, gradually raising the cavaletti. I’ve seen quite a few horses balk on the trail because they didn’t understand how to walk over a large branch, or they try to jump. Personally, I don’t care for jumping obstacles but some people don’t mind.
Hand walk your horse on the trail, start by just walking them a few feet outside the property then walk back in. I do this a few times even if a new horse is good about leaving the barn.
I go on several trail rides following another horse(s) who knows the trail and is calm.
Repeat each process until you feel that your horse is comfortable with them. Good luck and have fun on the trail!
Thanks Malda, these are great ideas!
You know what the biggest mistake I see people make is? They ride like they’re waiting to see how the horse will act, and if anything is iffy they try to keep it from getting worse.
Ride like you do in the ring. Tell your horse what you want them to DO. Walk now rather than don’t trot/jig/whatever.
It sounds simple, but it’s not always easy! 
These are great suggestions, thanks!
I"m comtemplating getting a new horse, and trail riding will be a big component, as we have lots of trails here. I was considering what you outlined, and it’s good to see I am on the right track!
So true, and great advice. My trainer is always telling me, ride the horse you have right now, not the horse she was yesterday or you think she might be in ten minutes!
Best thing that helped my OTTB transition from the arena to the trails was a rock solid buddy to go out with. Make sure the person riding the buddy horse is happy to take things slowly and walk. Don’t be afraid to get off and hand walk.
Open field riding can be less scary if you start in the horse’s regular pasture. They’re confident and familiar and you still have some fences for you.
I bet your mare will take to it quickly! I haven’t met many horses who don’t find some enjoyment in getting out of the arena if they’re set up calmly and nicely to begin with.
When I start a young horse on trail, I make sure to keep the ride short the first time or two and I take a seasoned horse with me. I have usually ponied them alongside a seasoned trail horse many times before that.
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