First, I have not played that campaign so this is more in general.

Do you have Healing Word for one of your Bard Spells? I have found my 2 Bards to not be great healers, but to be clutch.

Also, Dissonant Whispers interacts very well, very very well with Animate Objects. It gets your objects and party members opportunity attacks.

To your question, with a Wood Elf Lore Bard I took Find Greater Steed and Conjure Woodland Beings. Woodland Beings can be kind of random but Pixies are silly effective if you can communicate with them. The Steed is handy in combat and travel.