I've always been more worried about our stud getting a hard kick to a leg. I don't like to see bite marks on the mares neck either, but I think??? a kick in the leg from a mare could really damage the stud. I wouldn't want any stud hurt either, but especially since Rocky is used for riding.
When we bought him, he had been out in the pasture with mares. Poor guy was all beat up. Funny in one sense, but that had to be more frustrating then only breeding on a line, I'd think.
We really don't have an area large enough to turn him out into with mares anyway. If I wanted to pasture breed, which I don't, I'd want a big big pasture, so everyone had room to get far away from each other.
Becky
Yes - I've got one mare that would permenantly disable a stallion if she wasn't in the mood. We tease all of our mares and make sure they are ready before breeding. And all young mares that haven't been bred get breeding hobbles. And the poor studs - in pasture breeding you've got a mare that's more than willing this morning and when he goes back in the afternoon, she thinks he should be dog meat.