CONWAY, S.C. --- A South Carolina man caught on video having sex with a horse was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty for the second time in two years to abusing the creature.

Rodell Vereen was also ordered never to go near the stable where the horse's owner caught him and held him for authorities at the point of a shotgun. He apologized to the woman and to himself after admitting to buggery.

"I'm sorry about what I've done. I didn't mean to do it. It's my fault. I'm sorry for what I've done to myself," Mr. Vereen said at Wednesday's hearing at the Horry County courthouse.

Mr. Vereen was arrested in July after Barbara Kenley caught him entering the barn at Lazy B Stables in Longs, about 20 miles northeast of Myrtle Beach. She had been staking out the stable for more than a week after setting up a surveillance camera and videotaping Mr. Vereen's assault on her 21-year-old horse named Sugar.

Ms. Kenley said she became suspicious because her horse was acting strange and getting infections, and she noticed things were moved around the barn and dirt was piled up near the horse's stall.

It wasn't the first time she'd caught Mr. Vereen. In late 2007, Ms. Kenley found him asleep in the hay after assaulting her horse. For that offense, he also pleaded guilty to buggery, received probation and had to register as a sex offender.

The judge sentenced Mr. Vereen to five years in prison, but he will have to serve only three years as long as he successfully completes two years of probation. Mr. Vereen also was ordered to undergo additional mental treatment after he gets out of prison.

Ms. Kenley said she was mostly happy with the verdict but wished Mr. Vereen had got more prison time.