Reginald Robert Ozanne, of Waitati, during an earlier appearance in the Dunedin District Court last year over the stabbing of Star the miniature horse.

Reg Ozanne initially claimed he loved "that little pony", but has now admitted stabbing the beloved miniature horse 41 times.

The 50-year-old pleaded guilty to wilfully ill-treating an animal when he appeared before Judge Michael Crosbie in the Dunedin District Court on Tuesday afternoon.​

Star was killed while tethered to a fence in a paddock near the corner of Brown and Pitt streets, in the coastal Otago community of Waitati, on February 17, 2019.

SUPPLIED Miniature horse Star received treatment after being stabbed 41 times, but died two days after the attack.

The court heard Ozanne, who has a star tattooed behind his left ear, stabbed the 11-year-old horse 41 times on his back, neck, and throat.

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Star broke free at some point after the attack and was found by a local man walking his dog, the police summary of facts said.

Ralph Davies/Supplied A shrine was created for Star the pony after he was fatally attacked by Reg Ozanne.

The miniature horse was taken to a specialist animal hospital, but died from his injuries two days later.

Ozanne initially denied killing Star. He told Stuff in April 2019 that he felt isolated and no longer went out after police searched his property as part of their investigation into the horse's death.

"We love that little pony," he said.

STUFF A pony has died after being stabbed near Waitati, north of Dunedin. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES (Video first published February 2019)

​"I want the person caught so I can say 'look it wasn't me'."

Police seized a range of items from Ozanne's property, including knives and crossbows.

Ozanne, who moved to Waitati a year before the incident, said he understood why some people in the community had fingered him for the crime.

"I'm the newest person in town who has been misbehaving."

He attributed his offending the year before – breaking into a local garden centre and two cars in 2018 – to a head injury and "bleeding on the brain".

He claimed whoever killed Star was "insane" and said he "can't understand why they would do that with any animals".

After Ozanne was arrested, Detective Sergeant Chris Henderson thanked members of the public who offered information that assisted the police investigation.

The maximum penalty is five years' jail, or a maximum fine of $100,000.

Ozanne will be sentenced later this year.