New angry patch under mane - start of sweet itch or something else?

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

My 2 yr-old Sec D has just developed an angry looking patch underneath his mane. It starts at the base of his mane, about half-way up his neck. Literally one day it was not there and the next a greasy balded rubbed patch appeared, a few inches long and same deep. There was a tiny blob of blood in it, so thought he might have been bitten by something and then rubbed it in irritation. Put sudocreme on it and checked next morning..looked the same, put more sudocreme on it then today checked it and the skin of the patch now looks thick and crusty.
Does this sound like the beginnings of the dreaded sweet itch?
Or something else?
Any suggestions???
Thanks in advance!

 

[Toffee44]

Be careful with sudocream, I have personally gone off it recently, I found it made skin go very sort.

It could be beginnings of sweet itch however you would likely see your horse itch as they become very irritable.

My other mare (who doesnt have sweet itch) has had two really nasty fly bites this summer one which oozed for a while. Could be that?

I find with Toffee my sweet itch pony they start off yellow and theyn you get the skin toughen wrinkles etc with it.

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

Hmm yes thanks...never used it before but had it recommended for his sunburn/sensitive pink nose and had it to hand...
Took a picture of it earlier, will post tomorrow...
have not seen him rubbing it and yet it looks incredibly 'rubbed' - especially as it arrived so quickly..