Mom left her daughter alone with her toy horses for 30 seconds — when she came back, the 'saddle' situation stopped her cold
A quiet home moment can change fast when a toddler’s imagination takes charge. Mom Courtney Roettinger and her 3-year-old daughter Remi experienced one of those parenting surprises that happen in seconds. As reported by PEOPLE on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Courtney, 36, had briefly stepped away, leaving Remi on the couch with her toy horses while she flipped the laundry. About 30 seconds later, she returned to find that her daughter had already experimented with a creative saddle hack. The TikTok post, shared on January 28, 2026, under the handle @thrifts_and_thrills, later captured what followed. At first glance, Remi appeared settled and deeply focused. It was only after taking a closer look that Courtney realized something unusual had taken shape.
@thrifts_and_thrills Why are they so stealth?! #parenting #fyp #sahm ♬ Stylish indie pop with whistling melodies(1486143) - Cheng Lee
The video showed Remi carefully taking panty liners out of the packets, peeling them open with patience. Two toy horses stood side by side on the couch, each already fitted with a liner placed neatly across its back like a saddle. Courtney described the moment in her text overlay, “POV: You left the room for 30 seconds to flip the laundry and came back to panty liner saddles,” and captioned with humor, “Why are they so stealth?” The scene felt calm and absorbed, more like a craft project than a mess.
Courtney later shared with the outlet that her daughter “just cracks me up,” explaining that she often records these small moments to look back on. “I love to watch these kinds of videos of her shenanigans later on. My initial reaction was just a hearty laugh because she’s always up to something, and her horses are usually involved!” she shared. Although Remi had opened panty liners in the bathroom before, this marked the first time she carried them into the living room as part of her play. Courtney added that her daughter was in a strong horse phase, and the toys had even received eye shadow on another day. She chose not to interrupt because Remi was clearly proud of her work and enjoying herself. "She was so happy with her 'saddles' that it wasn’t worth ruining the moment to explain what they were. They later got panty liner ankle boots too," she commented.
Scenarios like these highlight how toddlers learn through imaginative play. According to research reviewed by The Arts Journal, pretend play uses cognitive processes involved in creative thinking, and studies have shown that children engaged in imaginative and symbolic play tend to show stronger creative skills, such as divergent thinking and richer storytelling. Courtney shared the video to reflect real life with a toddler and said, “I do my best to keep it real.” Although she was surprised by how widely the clip spread, "The TikTok community is awesome, and it’s nice to know the mayhem we experience with our toddlers is something we’re all going through."
For more wholesome content, follow @thrifts_and_thrills on TikTok.