I think everyone is right in saying the older horse has more going on re joints etc.
Surely a horse that has been shod for that length of time and his joints/limbs have been made to work in a certain way would suffer from no longer having that support ? I know myself with my own joint problems...
I think you missed the point that no Farrier THERE advocates leaving them unshod.You can't change a Country's attitude to horse care over night on a forum and isn't answering the original question about why it is happening ( even if you are right in what you say ) ...