Studies on Barefoot vs Shod?

[Foxford]

I would be very interested if anyone knew of any studies where horses were followed long term and the effects of either being barefoot or shod were assessed?

I guess I am interested in finding out if one or the other tends to be associated with specific problems eg, navicular, spavin. I know a long-term, large study would be really interesting to a lot of people and I guess it hasn't been done. I think people can get carried away with barefoot particularly and it's a bit like religion! People with shod horses shoe because they always have, or their horse "needs" shoes. I'm just curious about the long term effects and trying to cut out the fanatical, circumstantial arguments on either side.

I should point out I'm neither for or against shoes, just nosy!

 

[sbloom]

Rockley Farm have been working on a study on barefoot rehabbed horses with palmar hoof pain (is that the right expression?), debated furiously on here up until this morning! All horses had "failed" under shod treatment. The thread on here mentions other studies.