The Ranch Byron Bay

11/10/2026

Hello Everyone!!

A little update on our beautiful Fantom’s recovery, and my apologies for not letting y’all know sooner!

Firstly, Big thank you 🙏 to everyone who has helped Fantom in his recovery ❤️‍🩹!! I appreciate it so much!!

After a very long day on the road last Thursday, we finally got Fantom home late that night. The very next day our Ranch Members arrived for the weekend, so it’s been all systems go here at The Ranch!

The wonderful news is that Fantom is happily back home with his girls! He’s on strict rest for now, but as long as he’s close to his girls, he’s relaxed and content, which makes my heart very happy.

The vet has advised that we have him X-rayed again in six weeks to see how he’s healing. So we’re not out of the woods just yet, but I’m incredibly grateful to have him home and for the care he’s received.

So far, his veterinary expenses are heading towards $10,000, which is a huge financial burden on top of the everyday costs of caring for our herd of 35 horses.

As I’ve mentioned before, if you’ve been thinking about booking something at The Ranch, now would be a wonderful time to do it!

Whether it’s a horse ride, wilderness trek, Troopy Horse Safari, photoshoot with Fantom or one of our other beautiful horses, a getaway on the Clarence River, a stallion service for your mare, or a special event at The Ranch, every booking helps us cover Fantom’s veterinary bills and continue caring for our beloved herd.

We also have space on our 3 Day Trek happening this weekend (15th of October) for anyone looking for an extra awesome weekend in the saddle!!

Our GoFundMe is also still open, with the link in our bio, for anyone who would simply like to contribute.

I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated, booked an experience, shared our story or sent beautiful messages of support. It really does mean the world to me.

Fantom is such a special boy, and seeing him back home with his family after everything he’s been through is the greatest gift.

We still have a road to recovery ahead of us, but fingers crossed our beautiful black stallion continues to heal.

Big Love,
Shanti & Fantom

The Ranch on Clarence

05/10/2026

Hello everyone!! We have some very good news — Fantom is responding really well to treatment and, fingers crossed, I’ll be able to bring our beautiful boy home from the Veterinary Hospital on Thursday. ❤️🐴

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to everyone who has helped us so far. Whether you donated, shared our posts, sent messages, booked with us or simply kept Fantom in your thoughts — I’m incredibly grateful.

Right now, though, I really need your help.

We have managed to pay $5,000 towards Fantom’s veterinary care, so thank you so so much!! I need to pay the remaining vet bill before I can pick him up on Thursday.

So if you have been thinking about helping, now is the time. 🙏

Please donate to Fantom’s — the link is in our bio — and even a small donation makes a difference. If you’re not in a position to donate, please share the fundraiser as widely as you can.

You can also help by booking something with us at The Ranch. Book a ride or trek, organise a photoshoot with Fantom or one of our other beautiful horses, book a stallion service for your mare, plan an event or stay with us — every dollar from these bookings will help towards Fantom’s vet bill and caring for the rest of our herd in this drought.

We have until Thursday to get this bill paid and bring Fantom home.

If everyone who sees this donates a little, shares the fundraiser, or makes a booking, it can make an enormous difference.

Thank you for helping me get our beautiful boy home. ❤️

Friesian

28/09/2026

What a day yesterday was, I was up at 4am to get all my chores done and everyone feed at home before I went and picked up Fantom from the Tenterfield Vet. It’s been a tough week for him no doubt wondering where his family and people are in a new environment. He did his usual whinny out to me when he saw me which warmed my heart. Then it was the big trip up to Darling Downs Equine Vet near Toowoomba, the good ole Troopy and I were grateful that it was an overcast day and a bit cooler as she almost overheated the other day coming over the range to Tenterfield in the scorching heat in the middle of the day with Fantom in the back! Anyways it’s was a good run up the New England Highway and Fantom travelled well despite his sore paw. The facility at DDEV really inspired confidence and despite the poor prognosis I felt that he was in the very best hands. What ever the outcome it’s going to be very costly and unfortunately I don’t have insurance for him, so I am forever grateful to everyone who has donated on the GoFundMe it is still open and the link is in our bio or DM me for it. The other ways that you can support Fantom and the rest of the herd is to book a ride, 100% of all bookings go towards paying for his treatment and feeding, the herd carting water and keeping everything running. Also I am going to have to sell some of our beloved babies to the very best of homes to help cover expenses. If you are looking for your beautiful Unicorn or you know someone who is please get in touch. All my horses are raised with love and freedom, joy and happiness, they come running to you in a huge paddock and have excellent bloodlines coursing through their veins!! Our beautiful Fantom is the site of many as is our lovely Hidalgo PRE Andalusian. Also our stallions are standing at stud this season if you would like to breed your own Unicorn.
From the bottom of my heart thank you to Everyone who is helping to keep this dream alive. I am literally keeping it going on the smell of an oily rag and it has been a big year. I’m praying for the good times to kick in in 2027 and Fantom is back happily running with his mares again!!
All my love xox

25/09/2026

PLEASE HELP US GET THE TREATMENT THAT FANTOM NEEDS. Praying for a Miracle!!

Our beautiful Fantom is currently with the vets in Tenterfield with a serious fracture to his right front leg, complicated by infection.

His prognosis is guarded. The vets are concerned about the severity and location of the fracture and the risk of damaged bone dying and separating due to the trauma and infection.

Fantom now needs referral for specialist care. The recommended treatment includes arthroscopy, repeated joint flushing and potentially surgery. The arthroscopy alone is estimated at around $4,000, before transport, hospitalisation, medication and further treatment.

It’s been an incredibly heartbreaking year here at The Ranch. We lost our beautiful Willowyn and Belle’s precious foal, and now we are fighting for Fantom.

To be honest, I don’t know how much more heartbreak I can take. But while there is a chance to help him, I have to try.

I’ve started a GoFundMe to help get Fantom the specialist care he urgently needs. If you can donate, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you can’t, please share his story.

And if you’ve been thinking about booking a ride, a stay or an experience at The Ranch, now would be a wonderful time. Every booking and every little bit of support helps us continue caring for Fantom and the rest of our beautiful herd.

Fantom has given us so much. Now it’s our turn to fight for him.

GoFundMe link is in Bio

FriesianStallion HorseCommunity EquestrianCommunity HorseLovers

21/09/2026

Welcome to the world little Pablo!! Born at 8pm last night (21/9/2026) it had been a big day yesterday taking Fantom out to the vet in Tenterfield to get x-rays and treatment for his mysterious lameness. I was so torn taking him as River Dream was due any moment and I tried to get home as quickly as I possibly could. I rang home to Phoenix asking if he could go out and check on her and feed her (and the other horses) maybe 40 mins before I arrived home. Anyways she waited for me to get home and I’m pleased to say that she and Hidalgo are the proud parents to little Pablo!!
So far so good, he’s a big healthy foal with plenty of energy and forward movement!! This guy has places to go and people to see!!
Meanwhile the vets are perplexed as to what is happening with Fantom with a 4 out of 5 lameness score and clearly showing up on the x-rays.
What can I say, there’s never a dull moment at The Ranch on Clarence!!
Our Ranch Members and upcoming Trekkers are going to love to have foal cuddles with this little guy!!
What colour do you think he’ll turn out?
Both parents carry the dun gene.
Xox

06/09/2026

Welcome to our Ranch Members weekend!! 2 Days and 2 Nights of Ranch Life.
The first weekend of each month. Fantastic crew of people celebrating life in fine form!!
Comment RANCH for more info ****ck

03/09/2026