Veronica proceeds to loudly tell Kristi, making sure that Stevie's within earshot, that she's going to Phil's family's 'very upscale' barbeque, and that 'anyone who's anyone is invited.' Stevie is upset. (Be real, Veronica, how fancy-schmancy can a barbeque actually be? I say this as someone who is a fan of barbeques! At the end of the day you're all going to be standing around on someone's verandah trying to find a non-messy way to eat a sausage in bread while engaging in small talk before giving up and getting mustard on your face. Accept the inevitable!)
Stevie is still upset that Phil didn't invite her to the barbeque. Lisa and Carole try to comfort her, but are distracted by a horse loudly neighing. Carole goes outside to find Garnet galloping, fully tacked up, around the riding ring. She manages to catch Garnet and bring her back into the stable. Carole tells Stevie and Lisa that Veronica just left Garnet out there, and they both express shock at her doing such a thing. Carole says that Veronica is going to do the same thing to Garnet that she did to Cobalt. Stevie, with a nefarious glint in her eyes declares that there's no way Veronica will get away with this - she is obviously already concocting a plan.
We cut to Melanie and Ashley grooming Dime in his stall. Mrs. Reg appears and tells the girls that they can't just groom the school ponies because they feel like it, and they need to ask for permission from herself or one of the stablehands first. (To which I say: stablehands plural? Red's the only one we ever see!) She tells them that there are other jobs they can help out with instead.
In the lounge, Veronica is bragging to Kristi about how the paper is going to cover Phil's parents' party for the 'society page.' Sure, okay. (Have society pages even been a thing since the year 1920?) The Saddle Club come in to scold her about ditching Garnet in the ring. Veronica snarks that it's the stablehands' job. (Again, why are we talking about the Pine Hollow stablehands in plural? Red's the only one we ever see working there!) The girls rightfully point out that Garnet could've gotten hurt. Veronica mocks them, and she and Kristi meanly laugh and high-five each other in front of them.
Melanie notices Red leading Samson into a stall, and Red explains that that Samson hasn't been eating properly because Delilah has mastitis - that it hurts Delilah when Samson tries to nurse, so she kicks him away. Melanie engages in #mumshaming and calls Delilah a 'bad mum.' Not cool, Melanie! We do not shame new mothers! Red, defender of all women, say that it's not Delilah's fault. He tells Melanie that Doctor Judy is going to come and feed Samson with a tube. Melanie proceeds to freak out. Red gently explains that it won't hurt Samson, but Melanie continues to get upset calls Red 'mean' - all because he wants a foal to have enough to eat.
Back in the lounge, Carole says that Veronica can't keep ignoring Garnet because she'll 'go wild.' Which is not how horses work. At all. Stevie and Lisa point out that Veronica treated Cobalt the same way, and that the only reason he was such a perfect horse was because Carole rode him all the time. Carole says she could start riding Garnet, too, but Lisa tells her she can't keep helping Veronica. Lisa tells Carole that she doesn't care if Garnet 'goes wild' (sigh, okay, I guess we're going with this) because it'll be Veronica's own fault, but Carole insists that she wants what's best for Garnet.
It is at this point that Max visits the lounge, and any rational person would assume that the Saddle Club are going to to tell him about how Veronica's been neglecting Garnet. Max suspends Veronica, the situation is resolved with nobody else getting in trouble, problem solved, roll credits! Instead, because this is The Saddle Club, the girls inexplicably decide not to tell Max what happened. Max says that he's heading out to drop off some portable horse enclosures, and asks if the girls want to help him out. They agree to go with him.
Max and the girls head over in the ute and meet the woman who needs the portable enclosures. She's leading a spirited chestnut, Nomad, around the ring, and mentions to Max that the mare's so energetic because she hasn't had time to ride her all year. Max introduces the woman to the girls as Dee Marsten - Phil's mother. What a small world! Just as Stevie realises whose house they're at, Phil arrives. He immediately acts weird, asking Stevie what she's doing (in a tone that suggest he's upset she's here), and if she's leaving soon (in a tone that suggests he hopes she is.) Stevie looks confused.
Back at Pine Hollow, Red discovers that Melanie has tied the door of Samson's door. She demands he not come in, even though the stable door is just over waist height, and could very easily be climbed over. Mrs. Reg finds this all amusing, and tells Red he has 'two foals' on his hands today. (I'd say he has one foal and one extremely annoying child, but that's just me.) Melanie proceeds to wave a rake in Red's face in a 'back off!' manner. I think we are supposed to find this endearing. Mrs. Reg proceeds to walk away, and when Red calls for her to come back, she tells him, in the first and probably only truly funny line in the episode, 'You're doing fine, Red.' Melanie continues to freak out about Samson having a tube put down his throat. Red, with a almost saintly level of patience, explains again that it won't hurt him, but Melanie won't listen. (Seriously, why is nobody calling her parents and having her picked up?)
Stevie is still upset with Phil because he clearly doesn't want her around. Lisa, ever the romantic, says that Phil's only saying those things because he's nervous around because he liiiikes her. Carole runs over, arms flailing with excitement, because she has a plan: she wants to paint a blaze on Nomad. Stevie immediately catches on - they'll have a dead ringer for Garnet. Lisa points out that Nomad isn't trained, but Stevie keeps grinning, so you know the operation is still full steam ahead.
Veronica returns from a shopping expedition to show Kristi the four outfit options she bought for the party. Kristi, committed to being a hater, finds issues with all of them.
Red and Mrs. Reg watch as Melanie attempts to get Samson to drink from a bucket of cow's milk. Samson refuses, and Red says he's going to unlock the door. Mrs. Reg tells him that Melanie needs to figure out that Samson needs the tube on her own, or she'll become more upset. Personally, I think Melanie needs to be told to get a grip.
Carole, Stevie, and Lisa finalise their plan. They're going to make Nomad look like Garnet and put her in Garnet's stall. Veronica will do her dressage lesson on Nomad (who is, again, untrained! This could easily end in accident or death!) and make a fool of herself. Stevie asks how they're going to get Nomad to Pine Hollow, so Carole waves Phil over, and tells him they need to borrow his horse.
Melanie is trying to feed Samson with a bottle when Red arrives with Judy. Red gently explains that Samson needs to be fed. Judy tells Melanie she can help her feed him, and promises the tube won't hurt him one bit. Melanie refuses, and Red finally opens the door to the stall, which, I'll remind you, was an option this entire time. I'm really not sure why everyone is treating Melanie with kid gloves in this episode. She's being a nuisance. Tell her to scram!
The Saddle Club explain their plan to Phil, and Lisa explains that they're doing it so Veronica will start taking care of Garnet. Phil agrees to help. Max and Dee come over, and Dee tells the girls she hopes she'll see all of them on the weekend. Phil shouts 'No!' and then says the party is just a 'family thing.' Dee insists that the girls are welcome, and Phil gets all huffy and says, 'I told you, they don't want to come!' Dee tells him he's being rude, and Carole says it's okay, because they're all busy on the day of the barbeque anyway.
In the lounge at Pine Hollow, Stevie says that if Phil's in on the plan, then she's out. Carole convinces her to change her mind by asking her what's more important: Garnet, or going to Phil's barbeque.
Phil is sulking outside when Dee tells him that a girl just called for him. Phil is excited, clearly hoping it was Stevie, and Dee tells him it was Lisa. She proceeds to scold him for being rude to the girls. Dee tells him that he should invite Stevie to the party, but Phil insists he doesn't want to invite anyone.
Mrs. Reg finds Melanie crying over some horse books. Melanie says she's trying to find 'the secret' that'll stop Judy from feeding Samson with a tube. Mrs. Reg comforts her and she sits with Melanie, helping her read the books.
Phil arrives with Nomad, and the Saddle Club commence their horse switch. Veronica is showing off her riding outfit to Kristi when they notice Phil is visiting. Kristi tells Veronica that Phil must've come to watch her private lesson. Veronica is thrilled. She tells Phil that it was nice of him to come and watch her lesson, and Phil plays along.
The Saddle Club are putting their finishes touches on Nomad when Veronica arrives for her lesson. Veronica notices something strange, and the girls assume they've been caught. Only it turns out Veronica's surprised that the stablehands 'did their job for once' and tacked up Garnet for her.
The Saddle Club go to watch Veronica's lesson and, presumably, laugh when things go horribly wrong. Phil tries to talk to Stevie, but she's still mad at him. They start bickering, and then Carole and Lisa run towards them, looking horrified. Max has changed the schedule, and Veronica isn't having a dressage lesson, she's having a jumping lesson. Phil says 'I don't think Nomad's ever seen a jump!' and all the kids run to stop the lesson.
Veronica's lesson is already underway. Hilariously, Max immediately clocks that Veronica's on a different horse, but Veronica insists that it's Garnet, and that she groomed Garnet so well that Max doesn't recognise her. The Saddle Club arrive and shout at Veronica to wait and get off the horse because it isn't Garnet. Veronica tries to pull up Nomad but fails, and Nomad goes over a jump, with Veronica barely managing to stay in the saddle. She pulls Nomad to a halt, and finally realises the horse isn't Garnet.
Max convenes a meeting, and demands to know what the Saddle Club were thinking. The defend their actions by saying they didn't mean to hurt anyone, and they didn't want Veronica to keep ignoring Garnet. Max (very correctly!) points out that it was an irresponsible and dangerous thing to do. He suspends them from Pine Hollow for one week. Veronica, pushing for murder charges, say they should be suspended for longer. Max tells Veronica that, if she learned to look after her own horse, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. This from the man who says he doesn't play favourites ...
Red and Judy arrive at Samson's stall to see Melanie feeding him milk from a bottle, which Samson is eagerly drinking. Red asks how she did it, and Melanie explains that she put honey on the bottle to get Samson to drink it. I think we are supposed to infer that Melanie came across this trick reading through the horse books with Mrs. Reg. She asks Judy if this means Samson won't need the tube, and Judy tells her that Samson won't need it, as long as Melanie bottle feeds him every three hours. Melanie is shocked that she'll have to feed him at night, and Red tells Melanie that he'll do the night shift for her. Again, absolute patience of a saint ...
Stevie hugs Comanche, and tells him she'll miss him. Phil tells Stevie that he's sorry she was suspended, and that she won't be able to ride. Stevie angrily asks if he came by to rub it in her face. Phil tells her that he felt bad about his parents' party, and that he didn't want to invite her - or anyone from Pine Hollow. Stevie points out that he invited Veronica, and Phil clarifies that his parents invited the diAngelos, not him. He explains that the party is to raise money for charity. He tells Stevie that his mother put him in charge of the kids' pony rides, and that he has to wear a sheep costume while doing so. Stevie laughs at him, and Phil tells her this is why he didn't want to come in the first place. He asks if the girls still want to come to the party - Stevie is unsure, but Carole and Lisa accept the invitation on the group's behalf.
The girls go and apologise to Veronica, and say that they didn't know she was going to jump which was totally dangerous. (It was ridiculously dangerous either way, jumping or no jumping!) Veronica insists she knew the horse wasn't Garnet, and that she just went along with things because Phil was there and this somehow helped her defend the honour of Pine Hollow. I'll give credit where credit is due, Veronica's quite creative with those excuses. Phil passes by, and tells the Saddle Club he'll see them at the party on the weekend. Veronica is horrified to realise they've been invited, too. The Saddle Club explain they're helping out with the pony rides, and Phil says they'll also need help with the hot dogs. Realising that this isn't the fancy, high class soirée of her dreams, Veronica proceeds to cancel on going. The kids proceed to giggle.
Overall, this was, in my opinion, one of the weaker episodes. It was ridiculous, but not the fun kind of ridiculous. Horses do not 'go wild' because their owners ignore them, and putting a student on an unpredictable, untrained horse for a dressage lesson is not magically safer than a jumping lesson. So far, I've found the 'Ashley and Melanie Adventures' subplots to be inoffensive, but I found this one to be irritating for reasons I can't quite articulate. I'm not sure if anyone else remembers that line from Community where Troy tells Annie that she's 'gone from precious to annoying,' but that's pretty much how I feel.
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