The Saddle Club spot Max and Deborah pulling up at the stables in his truck, and gush over their relationship. Prancer starts acting like she's injured her leg, and Max jumps out of the truck to take a look. Deborah is nervous around the horses, but Carole encourages her to have a go at patting Comanche. Deborah gives it a try, only for Comanche to blow snot all over her shirt. Max obliviously asks if she's ready to head out for their date, Deb - exasperated - says she can't go out looking like this. Max completely blows it by suggesting she borrow some of his mother's clothes. (I am beginning to understand why such a good looking man has been single for so long.) Deborah says she'll just head home, and that she'll 'call him' - the kiss of death for any fledgling relationship. Deborah leaves, and the girls declare Max needs major help in the romance department.
Stevie, Carole, and Lisa decide to read romance novels and magazines for research. (For my non-Aussies, Carole's reading a copy of Dolly - a magazine for teenage girls that was known for its 'sealed section' that included Dolly Doctor, a Q&A column that was famously known for receiving - and answering - questions about all things sex, puberty, alcohol, and tampons. Hopefully The Saddle Club weren't too scandalised!) Carole teases Lisa and says she doesn't need to research since she already kissed Skye Ransom. I do find it kind of endearingly authentic that the girls to consider Skye giving Lisa a peck on the cheek a 'real' kiss. In response, Lisa whacks Carole with a pillow.
Veronica’s parents surprise her with Garnet, an absolutely lovely chestnut mare. She’s is initially happy with her, but when Kristi is unimpressed, Veronica throws a hissy fit and demands her parents return her.
Max is in his office when he rings Deborah to try and patch things up with her. He keeps getting interrupted: Ashley can't find Dime's saddle, and Red reporting the light's gone out in the tack room. Max shuts the door in an attempt to get some privacy. We then see Douchebag Jake, who we met last episode, attempting to fix the light bulb himself. Jake brags that he's totally got this. Max continues speaking to Deborah, explaining that he wants to make time for her, and to please give him another chance. She says yes - and the power goes out. Max walks out to find the lightbulb that Jake was trying to fix has burst and is smoking. Guess Jake wasn't much of a ... bright spark! #PUN
The Saddle Club catch Max before his date with Deborah and pull the, 'You're not wearing THAT, are you?' card. Personally, I think Max's outfit (red Converse sneakers, blue jeans, and tweed blazer with a t-shirt) was perfectly cute, but apparently it's not up to scratch. Commence Operation: Max's Makeover! Carole picks him a bouquet of flowers from a paddock, Lisa and Mrs. Reg help him find a better outfit, and Stevie washes and cleans out his truck - I'm guessing she drew the short straw here. They send post-makeover Max out on his date.
While Red is grooming Garnet, Veronica complains to Kristi about how she's been stuck with this awful horse. Veronica delivers a truly iconic line, complaining that, 'My parents knew I wanted a stallion!' Red tells her that her life is sooo tough, but Veronica doesn't pick up on his sarcasm and thinks he's being serious.
Later that night, The Saddle Club are hanging out in the stable loft, waiting for Max and Deborah to return from their date. Lisa goes full shipper mode, and starts imagining Max and Deborah getting married, and their future children riding little Shetland ponies around the stables. (Given it very much seems like Max and Deb are still in the early dating phase, I think she needs to pump the brakes a bit.) Stevie rightfully tells Lisa she's been reading too many romance magazines.
The girls spot Max and Deborah walking into the stables. Max tells Deborah he doesn't understand how she doesn't like horses, Deborah says she doesn't understand how he gets up early every day to shovel horse manure. They're being kind of flirty, and Carole is pleased that they're holdings hands. (Kids, get OUT of there! Those two adults might want to do more than hold hands!!) Deborah tells Max she likes him a lot, but she could do without the horses. Max admits that, some days, he could, too. He's at Pine Hollow seven days a week. He talks about the litany of things that need fixing at the stables: the pipes are rusting, the wiring's shot, and he's working seven days a week. I do feel the latter could be remedied if Red wasn't the only stablehand working for him, but I digress. The girls are upset to realise that Max has feelings other than unceasing joy about his job.
Deborah tells Max that maybe he's outgrown it, and that maybe it's time to sell. Max says he knows this is true, but it's hard because it was from his father. Deborah tells him it's time to sell up, and she reminds him he's already agreed with her on this topic. Max says Deborah's right, and he's going to sell to the first buyer. Max is going to sell Pine Hollow! The girls are horrified. They immediately place the blame on Deborah, citing her hatred of horses. The girls blame themselves for matchmaking Max and Deborah in the first place. Stevie suggests that, since they were great matchmakers, they should become 'match breakers' and split them up.
The girls proceed to commence a dedicated campaign of terror to rip Max and Deborah apart. Stevie pretends to call her the wrong name, and explains it's because she can't keep track of Max's many girlfriends. Ouch! Carole gives Max a travel brochure for an expensive vacation, saying it belonged to Deborah, and that she's always talking about wanting to travel more. Stevie tells Mrs. Sharlow, an attractive woman who boards her horse at the stables, that Max wants to speak with her in his office. When Deborah tries to go inside to speak to Max, Lisa blocks the doorway, acting nervous and saying Max is busy. Through the windows, Deborah sees Mrs. Sharlow laughing with Max, and is upset. Lisa then tells Deborah that Max has a surprise for her: he wants to take her out on a romantic trail ride. Lisa tries to convince her that she needs to ride Patch, Deborah is still nervous about riding a horse. She's not thrilled that this is Max's idea of a romantic date. Max is about to head out on a date wearing a suit, and Stevie tells him that Deborah said the suit made him look like a 'back country hick' and that's why he hasn't met her friends. Seriously, the girls are absolutely brutal. Their attacks are precise and personal, a level of targeted cruelty that Veronica could only dream of. It's a true testament to what The Saddle could accomplish if they chose to use their powers for evil instead of good. (And how on Earth do these eleven-year-olds know that Max hasn't met Deborah's friends yet? Is he asking his students for relationship advice? Did Mrs. Reg let it slip? I have so many questions!)
Naturally, Max and Deborah end up fighting, and they call it quits. The Saddle Club are thrilled, and high five each other with glee like the little menaces they are.
Kristi is hanging out with Red while he's taking care of Garnet. Red explains to Kristi that Garnet's a great horse and Kristi, who has never had an original thought in her life, immediately flips and thinks Garnet's awesome, too. She gushes about Garnet to Veronica, who decides that she wants to keep her now.
Max is all glum about his break-up with Deborah. He's moping by the phone, all sad and hoping she'll call. He then polishes some nice black shoes and Red remarks that he didn't realise Max owned 'real shoes.' Max snaps that he's not a total back country hick. He's clearly hurt by the remark. The girls realise how sad Max is, and begin to feel guilty. They decide to try and get them back together.
Lisa convinces Max to go on a trail ride with her. Carole gets Mrs. Reg to make one of her famous picnic baskets. Stevie pretends to need to interview Deborah for a school project, and takes her out to a paddock where Carole has set up the picnic basket. Lisa and Max arrive, and the girls come clean about all the lies they told. Lisa says it was because they didn't want Max to sell Pine Hollow. Max and Deborah explain that they weren't talking about Pine Hollow, they were talking about his deathtrap of a truck.
The girls attempt to back away, but Max and Deborah say they deserve to be punished - none of Mrs. Reg's gourmet sandwiches for them. TBH, with all things considered, I think they got off pretty easy.
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