Any ideas?

[MereChristmas]

Pony has had this stain for about 3 weeks. It hasn’t faded. No change after bathing him today ready for clipping tomorrow.
Any ideas?

 

[ycbm]

Dye leached from a new rug or saddle cloth?
.

 

[MereChristmas]

A good idea but No.
Numnahs are black or white and it appeared when he was losing coat so he was naked.

 

[First Frost]

Creosote from a fence or fence post, maybe.

 

[MereChristmas]

Another good idea
He grazes an area fenced on one side by an old hedge without rails or wire and electric fence everywhere else

 

[MereChristmas]

I wondered if he had lain on something that dyed his coat.
Horse chestnuts were suggested but although there are trees up the road there aren’t any near his field.

 

[Barton Bounty]

This might sound stupid but I heard tomato ketchup works for stains, I have used purple shampoo to take stains out ?

 

[ycbm]

Mushroom ink, very staining.

 

[MereChristmas]

Ah, hadn’t thought of that.
Very possible
Thank you

 

[Merry neddy man]

Has he rubbed against anything rusty?

 

[MereChristmas]

Rust, not that I know of. No metal in the fencing or in the stable.

Apparently there have been a lot of mushrooms in the field while I was away.

 

[Goldenstar]

Can he lick there ? Could it be a saliva stain ?

 

[MereChristmas]

Saliva, not sure. The stain is high on the ribs, not covered by the saddle, behind the bend of my knee.
I haven’t seen him lick himself at all. He spends most of the time eating!

 

[ycbm]

Rust, not that I know of. No metal in the fencing or in the stable.

Apparently there have been a lot of mushrooms in the field while I was away.

I bet the white bit in the stain is where the stalk was

 

[RHM]

My grey has been stained by bird poo before. She had some strange blue stains once and took me a while to realise where it was coming from!

 

[Dexter]

Is it on the surface of the hair or does it go to skin level? Sometimes greys do develop weird odd coloured patches on their coats.

 

[MereChristmas]

Clipped today and stain has gone.
I think the mushroom suggestion wins.