Night and day difference" is exactly right. I read a test once where they compared cores from hand finished vs power troweled slabs, and the power troweled ones had way less surface porosity. Makes sense when you think about it, the machine puts way more pressure down and works the cream in deeper. My back used to kill me after a big hand job, but now I just stand there and steer. Still keep a hand float handy for tight spots though. Your mileage may vary on smaller pads.

and it's not just books either, I see the same thing in how people talk about movies and TV too. My buddy was telling me about his coworkers trying to figure out if Walter White was a good guy or a bad guy and they totally missed the point of why he started cooking in the first place. It's like everyone's become a moral referee instead of actually looking at what drives people to do things. When you look at real life, nobody wakes up thinking "I'm going to be the villain today." Everyone thinks they're the hero of their own story, and that messiness is what makes characters feel real instead of just cardboard cutouts moving a plot along.

Yeah I've had that happen before, a pebble or even a tiny crack in the hoof wall makes them act like you're trying to chop the whole leg off. Horses are really good at hiding stuff until it's just pressing on the exact wrong spot, then they lose their minds. Your mare was definitely not being dramatic, she just couldn't tell you in words so she did it with body language.

That's the real problem right there... just doing a blind vote without any kind of discussion first. We tried that in my D&D group once and it ended with half the table not showing up for three sessions.

Yeah those long passes are rough on the arm. I do the same thing @webb.jordan mentioned with the hip brace. Also try shortening your stance and leaning into the cut more. Keeps the wheel from bouncing around on you.