A judge on Friday ordered two men to stand trial on animal torture charges stemming from the discovery of 69 allegedly malnourished horses that were impounded from a Grass Lake, Mich., farm.

District Court Judge Joseph Filip ruled there was enough evidence for James Henderson Jr., who owned the horses, and Matthew Mercier, who managed them, to stand trial in Jackson County Circuit Court.

Henderson and Mercier have denied that the horses were harmed.

Officials seized the property March 21 after finding the horses without food or water. Many were badly malnourished, officials said, and the horses were found amid piles of trash, rusted auto parts, and manure.

More than half were later discovered to be pregnant. One of the horses was later euthanatized for a hip injury.

The horses–and about 15 foals that have been born since the seizure–were forfeited Friday to Jackson County Animal Control.

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