Are you the photographer? Add your photo credit.Request removal
With heavy hearts, StallionCompare.com shares the poignant tale of the recently departed The Total Investment, or Kenny as he was lovingly known. Kenny was the last known living stallion sired by the legendary stallion, The Invester. In a bittersweet journey that began with a rescue mission, Kenny's story unfolds as a testament to resilience, love, and true passion for the horse.
Years ago, just 30 days after the loss of The Big Chex, a photo on Facebook captured the attention of the future owner of Kenny – he was standing knee-deep in mud in a kill pen – a walking skeleton with a knotted mane with a clear history of neglect. His ad read, "Ken- old bred western pleasure stallion” with the aforementioned photo and a copy of his papers in the comments. In a heartbeat, he found a saviour in a compassionate soul, Brogan Adams. He was swiftly purchased for $450, and embarked on a journey of healing. Another generous soul paid for the mare he was bonded with, and sent her along with Kenny. The next day he and his beloved companion, an Impulsions mare by the name of Red Dee On Impulse, "Nia", were safely in quarantine together. It was a real worry that the two of them wouldn't make the journey, as their condition was deplorable.
It was after quarantine that both he and Nia would head to the University of Georgia for evaluations. The findings at UGA revelead a traumatic past, both horses had skull and jaw fractures on top of their poor health and body condition. Kenny had no front teeth at all, likely from years of cribbing, while Nia's jaw fracture was old and healed, it did hint to being checked back in a bit. Kenny's skull fracture was not healed, and the staff at UGA found it to be consistent with blunt force trauma. He also had a fresh break to his already broken tail, likely from whatever incident lead to the skull fracture he also suffered. On top of everything else, it was also clear that Kenny was laminitic, and had absolute slippers for feet.
As you can imagine, Kenny was quite fearful and aggressive and incredibly uncomfortable with people around him. The more he was poked and prodded at UGA, the more upset he would get – even under sedation, it was a task to get him blanketed, let alone the radiographs that were needed. It was obvious, however, that his attitude was out of pure fear, rather than that of malice. Once he was in clogs and comfortable, he made an incredible turn-around – and revealed himself to be one of the most beautiful movers at both the jog and lope. "I could see the horse that he used to be, and it was no wonder that he showed, won, and was kept a stallion," recalls Brogan. By the summer, his team had managed to put good weight on him and were even able to get a collection of ICSI doses.
Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, Kenny managed to rupture his right testicle in a pasture accident which earned him the nickname of the "one nut wonder" from the vet students at UGA. As hard as they would try, his remaining testicle was too damaged from the pasture accident and they were unable to secure any further viable semen.
His later years were spent in companionship with a Shetland pony, named 'Black Pony', sharing the same paddock and stall that once belonged to Chex. Their mischievous antics and deep bond brought joy to the barn, and Kenny's gentle spirit shone through.
At times he may have exhibited a crabby and cantankerous demeanor, characteristic of his age, yet he remained a remarkably cooperative and trustworthy companion. There was never a need to hold him for the farrier or secure him for blanketing; his behaviour remained impeccable once his pain was alleviated. Leading him was a seamless task, as he would calmly follow with just a collar, often escorted to and from the paddock with his devoted pony companion trailing behind. Remarkably, he never resorted to cribbing, and "every day I wholeheartedly placed my trust in him, confident in his unwavering reliability," Brogan told us.
Kenny and his little friend, Black Pony were terrorists – always up to no good. Kenny would often take his own blanket and fly mask off and make toys of them. He loved letting himself out for a stroll if he was able to get any lock or gate open. He'd ramble about, say hello to everyone in the barn, and then return to his paddock or head out to graze.
In his final resting place overlooking the pond, at the top of the hill – he is buried between Chex, and Brogan's old show horse, Cool Awesome Jack. Just down from him is his old friend, Nia – who Brogan lost in 2022 due to complications of old age. Kenny will be forever surrounded by friends from the past in the place that he was able to call home, where he was loved and cared for daily. One day, when the time comes, his pony friend will join him on that hill, too.
As the barn now sits in silence, reminiscing about Kenny's antics and his enduring spirit, we encourage you to cherish your equine companions, even the mischievous ones, for one day, your barn too may echo with the quiet memories of a beloved horse.
Rest easy, Kenny.