Your horse does not want to be a wild animal. It's something our horses been bred to thrive on for countless generations. Being ridden or driven is. There's nothing wrong with letting your horse go barefoot if he's normally a good candidate for it. But if you're changing the way you use and keep your horse just to avoid shoeing, you are cheating yourself.
Horses are for riding.
If rocky trails, pavement, or just plain wear and tear become a problem for your barefoot horse, have a good farrier shoe the beast. Contrary to what BH says, it won't do your horse a bit of harm. Some noise will be made, and it'll eventually fade as it has done so many times before. Because they work and work well. It's hard to argue with centuries of success.