This is the first episode where Nelson Muntz uses the famous version of his laugh Ha ha! A version previously appeared in Bart the General and The War of the Simpsons, but in those two previous episodes he laughed three times instead of twice.
When Lisa finds the horse's head in her bed and screams, it is a reference to The Godfather. Also, the music from the original horse head scene is recycled.
The same reference is made in The Telltale Head, when Bart wakes up to see the head of the statue next to him.
The footage of Homer trying to blow-dry Lisa's hair at one point is recycled from "Bart the General".
Another instance of recycled footage was used when Apu is in bed with Princess Kashmir. The immediate preceding scene shows the camera panning on to Fiesta singles complex in a still shot. The original footage was used in "Life on the Fast Lane".
Yet another instance of recycled footage is used when Homer is talking to himself saying "Can't sleep, must monitor core". Lisa calling Homer at work to say she loves him is recycled from "Bart's Dog Gets an F", as you can clearly see Lisa has the mumps in this scene.
The owner of King Toot's appearance is based on actor Wally Cox.
This episode reveals that Lisa had her pearls since she was a baby.
A kid sings his own version of Chuck Berry's song " My Ding-a-Ling", which due to its heavy use of double entendres, was one of Chuck's least known hits, namely done as a call-and-response song with live audiences. Principal Skinner forces the child off stage after singing one verse, angrily proclaiming "This act is over!"
A scene from this episode was shown in the 1999 film, "Inspector Gadget", specifically the scene where Homer was sleeping at work (at the Plant).
The episode features references to films such as The Godfather and 2001: A Space Odyssey and the comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland.
Millicent, the stable owner, is identical in appearance and voice to Ms. Killebrew from Camp Land-A-Man in The Way We Weren't. However it's never made clear if they're supposed to be the same character.
When Sherri and Terri are doing their act for the talent show, they are wearing patriotic leotards reminiscent of Wonder Woman.
Goofs
Approximately sixteen minutes into the episode, Ralph and another boy are talking about Lisa's handling of the pony Princess. The other boy says "She's certainly tamed that horse" and Ralph says "Yes, but what man can tame her?" However, when he speaks, it is in Nelson's voice. Not only are both Ralph and Nelson voiced by Nancy Cartwright but both go on to date her. The most likely explanation is that scriptwriters placed 'Nelson' on the script while the animators were told to draw Ralph.
Lisa says that she called Marge about the reed, but to no avail. In the next scene, Marge is seen at the talent show. This raises the question as to why Marge didn't simply take Lisa to the store. There is the chance that Marge was already on her way to the talent show.
Chuck's hair is blue. He is normally seen with either blonde or sometimes brown hair.
Connections to future episodes
In Saddlesore Galactica, Marge offers to save the horse Duncan, saying the Simpsons can care for a horse. Comic Book Guy appears, making reference to this episode saying that it took a toll on Homer and Marge disapproved of the pony.
