(Hello everyone! Just a quick note before we return back to our scheduled programming: I am currently in the middle of moving houses, so there might be a slight delay with getting these up in a timely manner.)
Full disclosure, this episode was one of my absolute favourites as a kid. So Mystery Weekend opens with the news that Pine Hollow is hosting a … mystery weekend. A bunch of the other pony clubs are participating, and the Saddle Club are admiring one of the handsome new arrivals. Veronica assumes it’s Greg, a member of Phil’s pony club, but they’re actually fawning over his horse, Atlas. Phil introduces Greg to the girls, and the boys share that if the mystery weekend doesn’t make enough money, their pony club might go under. Firstly, why are these kids worrying about the pony club’s financial woes? Who is stressing them out about this? Also, isn’t Phil’s family supposed to be disgustingly rich …? (I’m just saying, if his parents own 50+ acres and attend the same country club as the DiAngelos, I’m sure they can afford to give a little pocket change to their son’s pony club!)
Max walks out wearing a full Sherlock Holmes outfit, which Stevie roasts but I find completely adorable. Max was a lot of things (including a walking negligence and child endangerment lawsuit) but you can’t say he wasn’t committed to the bit. Max announces that Nickel the pony has been ‘stolen,’ and that everyone should ride out on the trails to search for clues. To make things more confusing, none of the kids actually know what the clues are supposed to look like. As the Saddle Club are tacking up in the stables, Stevie asks Phil if he’s getting Teddy ready (rhyme!) as well. Phil proceeds to chuck a very unconvincing sickie, which makes Stevie confused.
Greg is trying to get his dad’s attention when Ashley starts shouting about how her saddle has been stolen. Max says that he’ll call the police if it doesn’t show up — just an aside, the way he talks to Ashley in this scene is really sweet. Gosh, he would make a great father … Ahem! The Saddle Club immediately assume that this is the first clue, and head out onto the trails to investigate. While they're riding, Stevie spots what is absolutely Phil running through the trees, but Lisa and Carole are all, ‘But it can’t be! Phil is sick!’ Stevie begins to feel suspicious.
Meanwhile, Veronica, Kristi, and Greg are riding in a team. Veronica and Greg are bonding over their absent parents when Kristi comes across a clue — a note tied with ribbon to a tree. Once they solve the riddle, Kristi takes the clue with her to stop the other teams from finding it. Greg protests because it’s cheating, and Veronica pretends to agree with him — but immediately takes it once Greg’s back is turned. She says, ’I’m not cheating, I’m maximising my chances of winning.’ To which I say, that girl’s gonna make a helluva lawyer one day.
The Saddle Club are lamenting that they have not found any clues so far, when Lisa spots hoof prints on the ground. Now I would assume that out on the trail paths around Pine Hollow there would be plenty of hoof prints, but apparently not. These ones are so eye catching that the girls jump out of their saddles to investigate. The prints were made by egg bar horseshoes, which leave a distinctive print. Lisa exclaims that the hoof prints must’ve been made by Nickel. Carole points out that Nickel doesn't wear egg bar shoes, but Lisa insists that it must be part of the mystery. Okay, sure. A bell rings, and everybody heads back to Pine Hollow. During lunch, Stevie attempts to talk to Phil, but he once again (badly) pretends like he’s sick.
Greg walks into the lounge exclaiming that his tack has also been stolen. Carole asks Max if it’s another clue, and he tells her it isn’t. The Saddle Club finally realise that there’s a real thief at Pine Hollow.
We cut to everybody getting over to sleep over at the stables. As a kid, I always thought the Pine Hollow sleepovers seemed so amazing. Mrs. Reg turns the lights out, and the Saddle Club keep whispering about the tack thief. Stevie’s convinced it’s Phil because of how suspicious he’s been acting. Carole and Lisa point out this that is ridiculous, and Lisa very logically points out that Phil has no reason to steal tack because his family is rich. (FINALLY! Some LOGIC!) The girls head downstairs to check on the tack, and convince Carole to use the tack room key that Max gave her ‘for emergencies.’ (I’m sorry, but are there any real emergencies that would actually require Carole having a tack room key?) They go in and, of course, find the room is empty. Carole very reasonably asks if they can go back upstairs to sleep, and Stevie insists they stay and guard the stables.
The girls set up in Max’s office, which has a window looking into the tack room, but eventually fall asleep. Cue SINISTER MUSIC and a CLOSE UP of a STRANGER walking towards the tack room! A shot of a pair of hands LOCK PICKING the door! Who could it be? Will we ever find out? (The answer is yes.)
The girls wake up to arguing and chaos. Veronica’s tack has also been stolen, and she instantly accuses the Saddle Club of doing so. They defend explain they were trying to catch the thief. Max pulls the ‘I’m very disappointed in you’ card. Veronica insists they be disqualified because they broke curfew, and Max reluctantly agrees.
Phil chats with Greg about the tack thief. Phil points out how strange it is that the thief only took Greg’s saddle, and not his bridle, given that Greg’s bridle is also worth a lot of money. Greg says that maybe the thief isn’t doing it for the money. Phil, who doesn’t yet understand the word ‘projection,’ looks deeply confused.
Stevie, Carole, and Lisa have apparently been assigned to mucking out the stalls as part of their punishment, and they catch Phil leading a tacked up Teddy. They point out that he’s been too unwell to ride all weekend, and Phil says he thought a ride might make him feel better. Stevie is still convinced he’s the tack thief.
In the office, Max and Mrs. Reg are disagreeing about the Saddle Club. Max admits that he knows the girls didn’t steal the tack, and that the thief probably used a lock pick, but that they do have to be punished for breaking curfew. He then says, with a completely straight face, ‘I can’t show them special treatment.’ This is news to both me. Since when, Max? SINCE WHEN? It's also news for Mrs. Reg, too, and she goes full ride or die for the Saddle Club, and insists that of course Max should show them special treatment, because they’re responsible riders with good heads on their shoulders, and they’d never knowingly break a rule … As this conversation is happening we see Carole, Stevie, and Lisa sneaking out in the background with their horses. It’s a good moment of visual comedy, I’ll give the show that.
The Saddle Club are following the hoof prints when they suddenly end. Luckily for them, they spot Phil and Teddy cantering away, and they go after him. They chase Phil down, Stevie accuses Phil of being the thief. Lisa acts very personally betrayed and offended. Carole has the good sense to check Teddy’s shoes, and confirms they’re not egg bar shoes. Phil explains that the reason he was ghosting Stevie all weekend wasn’t because he was sick, he was helping Max hide the clues for the weekend. Phil explains that he’s been trying to clear the girls’ names, which is kind of sweet. He explains that he’s figured out who the thief is … Greg! (An aside: Phil’s delivery of this line is strangely cheerful, given that he’s discovered his good friend is a thief.) Gasp!
Of course Greg and Atlas are galloping away, so there’s … another chase scene. I feel like having two chase scenes so close together kind of takes away from the urgency of the second one. There’s only so many times a chase scene can be exciting, you know? Anyway, 2 Saddle 2 Club: Tokyo Drift is underway when Greg, for apparently no reason, falls out of the saddle. Atlas doesn’t stumble or spook, Greg just … slides out. Carole and Starlight go after Atlas, while Stevie, Lisa, and Phil stay behind with Greg. Greg runs, and they corner him against a cliff. Greg admits that he stole the tack to get his father’s attention.
At Pine Hollow, Greg is revealed to be the thief. His dad tries to have a conversation with him, but is interrupted by his phone. He’s an absent father, remember? Stevie gives him parenting advice and says he should put the phone down to focus on his son, which I’m sure went down great. Veronica and Kristi are awarded the trophy for solving the mystery, but the stolen clues begin falling out of Veronica’s jacket. Max disqualifies Veronica and takes back her trophy, and Phil points out that the Saddle Club solved the real mystery. Mrs. Reg decides to give the girls the trophy because, even if Max says he won’t play favourites, she will. You’ve gotta love Mrs. Reg!
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