By ABC-7 Reporter Veronique Masterson

LAS CRUCES -- A Texas man is once again on trial for allegedly beating a 10-month-old colt to death nearly three years ago in Chaparral, New Mexico.

Testimony in the re-trial of 38-year-old Greg Collier was underway Wednesday in the same courthouse where a jury failed to reach a verdict a year ago.

Collier is charged with Extreme Animal Cruelty, a fourth degree felony. He was hired by Kevin Williams in February 2006 to train the colt, which was named "Cowboy."

Williams said he needed Cowboy trained so his hooves could be trimmed. "[When I hired him] I had the same amount of faith in him that I would have in a doctor telling me I needed an appendectomy," he added.

Cowboy was the grandson of the racehorse Alydar, who finished second in the 1978 Kentucky Derby. "[Collier] claimed he trained thousands of horses and accomplished great things," said Williams, "He indicated he was a horse gentler, but sometimes his methods were not gentle."

According to the thoroughbred's owner, Collier's training methods became a concern after he allegedly started to use larger whips on Cowboy. After 3 hours, Williams said, the colt still did not respond to the training. It was found dead in the arena the next day, said Williams.

"[He] whipped him in the neck, shoulder, body, all of the torso, and the hip area," said Williams, adding the colt was whipped "very hard."

Williams told ABC-7 the necropsy revealed the horse died from trauma-induced shock related to tissue damage and widespread contusions.

"I would have liked to have seen him race. I would have liked to have ridden him. I would have liked for him to have lived a long life," said Williams, tears streaming down his face.