You can ask him, but I seriously doubt that you will get an honest answer as to why he wants to stay a year. There could be any number of reasons why he stated the one year live in time period. I'll share some of those reasons, but keep in mind, he is the only one that knows why. It could be that he figures that in one year he can get his ducks in a row financially and locate a new place to live; it could be that he thinks a year is all he needs to get himself back on track; or it could be that he has found someone and they can't move in together until her divorce is final and last but not least, he thinks that a year will give you time to adjust to the fact that you both are going your separate ways and gives you time to locate a new place and homes for the animals.
However, I would most definitely get an agreement in place as soon as possible. As I stated before, you will know when you've had enough and want to move forward in a different direction.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
