Breeding a Mare

I must say that I have always been a proponent of AI even when both stallion and mare are on site. I personally believe it is easier and safer for all involved just to collect the stallion and inseminate the mare. You can get multiple cycling mares bred at once, and no chance of the stallion being injured from a well placed kick.

However.... I have had the fortune to get to see show horses - the kind which could not walk past the breeding dummy at the lab without getting excited about "her" - breed in a pasture situation. We had a harem of mares, and allowed our older stud to live out his years as nature intended. He was present through breeding, foaling, and rebreeding for the years he had left. Not one time did the stallion ever injure or harm a foal, and I dare say that any of his actions in the pasture setting were instinctive since he was born and raised as a show animal, living as far from the way nature intended as possible. Stall kept, doted on, rarely bred a live mare, he was always collected. At 19, he was finally allowed to be a real horse. We had excellent conception rate in the pasture, 100% foal success, and a very fulfilled stallion who was finally able to interact with species of his own kind. The mares ran the roost, and all was well. Even had a couple geldings out there too.

If I were going to pasture breed though, I would have a group of mares, not just one with a foal to focus his attention on. Give him five or six - even pregnant ones will help keep him in check.
Cheers
M