It was interesting and great seeing more development to Rockhoof and Yona, Rockhoof even more so. Rockhoof didn't really connect with me when he was first introduced (found him bland in Season 7's "Campfire Tales" and thought he was one of the weaker elements of that episode), but Yona for me has always been one of the more compellingly written of the Student Six characters ever since she was introduced. Anybody who likes one of them or both will be excited seeing "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place", not so much if the opposite.
The second half of Season 8 did not start off well at all, with a few of the season's low points being during the period between "The Mean 6" and this. Things did pick up briefly with "The Hearth's Warming Club" and the two episodes prior to "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" saw a step in the right direction. Fortunately, "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" continues this right direction step. It did change my opinion of Rockhoof and also contained one of Yona's most interesting appearances of the season.
By all means "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" is imperfect. The moral felt rather underdeveloped, almost throwaway, 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' usually does much better at developing its morals rather than summing it up in like literally a line's worth.
Would have liked a little more of the Old Pillars of Equestria lore, but maybe that's just me.
So much is great in "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" however. The animation is colourful and full of atmosphere and meticulous detail. The music is the kind that will appeal to children, being current and not being too old, has a lot of character and atmosphere and fits the action beautifully. The voice acting is on point, Matt Cowlrick and Katrina Salisbury have the meatiest material and deliver it with complete conviction. Cowlrick in particular does a great job at bringing out Rockhoof's different emotions and conflict.
Furthermore, the writing is thought-provoking and is some of the mature of the season without taking things too seriously. The story is briskly paced and is always engaging, as well as moving. It was a quite heavy topic by 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' standards, but "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" handles it very sensitively and with a lot of hard hitting pathos. Without being mawkish. It was great to see a different side to Yona, underneath all that brutishness there is a kind soul and it is lovely to see. Rockhoof was seldom this conflicted as a character and this was done in a way that makes one relate to and feel sorry for him, even when he snaps it is hard to blame him.
Overall, very well executed episode that could have been even better than it was. 8/10.