A Fayette County, Tenn., grand jury has indicted former trainer Jackie McConnell on more than 20 counts of animal cruelty in connection with the alleged soring of Tennessee Walking Horses. Soring is the deliberate injury to a horse’s feet and legs to achieve an exaggerated, high-stepping gait. On the federal level the Horse Protection Act (HPA) forbids the practice, and soring is also unlawful under Tennessee state animal cruelty statutes.

Last year, a federal grand jury in Tennessee handed down a 52-count indictment accusing McConnell, along with two other individuals—Jeff Dockery and John Mays—of conspiring to violate the HPA. Dockery and Mays later pleaded guilty to lesser charges, while McConnell later pleaded guilty to one conspiracy count under a plea agreement. U.S District Court Judge Harry S. Mattice later accepted terms of the plea agreement and sentenced McConnell to pay a $75,000 fine, to serve three years’ probation, and to perform 300 hours of community service. Mattice also ordered McConnell to write and publish an article about how soring effects horses and how widely it is practiced in the Tennessee Walking Horse Industry.

On March 25, a grand jury handed down another indictment charging McConnell with 22 counts of animal cruelty for allegedly soring horses while training the animals for exhibition in the show ring. The indictment also accuses McConnell of hitting some horses with a club and using a cattle prod to “hot shot” horses as part of their training. The indictment also charges Dockery with three counts of animal cruelty and charges Mays with 13 animal cruelty counts. Dockery and Mays were unavailable for comment.

McConnell’s attorney David Douglas was unavailable for comment on the case