Dealing With a Hot Horse? 7 Ways Höveler Original Sport Helps
Quick answer: Höveler Original Sport is a reduced-starch sports muesli designed to support calm, even energy in horses in regular work. Starch is capped at 15% and sugar at just 4.6%, so you feed performance fuel without the fizz that high-starch rations can bring. Best for a hot or fizzy horse that needs real work energy. Price: $49.99. Last checked: September 2026.
Nothing tests a rider's patience like a horse that comes out more forward than you'd like before you've even warmed up. Feed is often the first port of call to look. High-starch rations are the usual culprit behind excess spark, and Höveler Original Sport was engineered the other way. Made in Germany since 1905 — over 120 years of expertise — it proves you can fuel serious work without loading up on starch. Here are seven reasons it makes a difference.
1. Only 15% starch by design
Starch is the number most owners of hot horses watch first. Original Sport holds starch at 15%, a deliberately reduced level for a performance muesli. The benefit: energy that comes more from oil and fiber than from fast-burning grain.
Who this is for: horses that get sharper, spookier, or harder to focus as a week of high-starch feeding goes on.
2. Sugar at just 4.6%
Sugar is the quiet contributor to excitability, and many performance feeds hold far more of it. This muesli measures only 4.6% sugar. Next to the 15% starch cap, it makes a genuinely low-sugar ration for daily work.
Who this is for: owners who have already trimmed treats and keep seeing too much spark.
3. Fiber-forward fuel at 16.4% crude fiber
The base is alfalfa, green meal, and sunflower extraction meal, delivering 16.4% crude fiber. Fiber is the slow-release energy source that steady, rideable horses run on.
Who this is for: horses that need sustained energy for a full session, not a burst and a blow-up.
4. Steady energy from oil, 9.0% crude fat
Linseed oil and sunflower oil in the formula support a measured 9.0% crude fat, fueling work through oil-based energy rather than grain. Oil delivers 12.6 MJ of digestible energy per kg DM in this feed — ample fuel, released evenly.
Who this is for: sport horses that flag late in the session on low-energy rations.
5. Magnesium at 0.7% plus balanced minerals
The formula contains magnesium at 0.7%, along with calcium 1.2%, phosphorus 0.6%, and sodium 0.6%. Magnesium is a mineral many owners of tightly wound horses look for in the ration.
Who this is for: owners who want a complete mineral profile without stacking supplements on top of the feed.
6. Calm gut, calmer horse — yeast and prebiotic fiber included
Diamond V inactivated yeast at 0.7% and fructooligosaccharide prebiotic fiber are built in to support digestive comfort. A comfortable gut is the foundation of a relaxed horse.
Who this is for: horses whose fizzy days tend to follow unsettled feeding days.
7. Competition-safe, so no risky feed changes
Original Sport is competition-safe and FEI-compliant (check rules with your event organizer). You can hold the exact same ration right through show day, which is exactly what a hot horse needs — no upsets. The 24/7 licensed vet team at bifid can help you plan the ration before the season starts.
Who this is for: competitors who daren't change anything in the week before an event.
How to feed it
Rates are given per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight per day:
Work levelFeed per day per 220 lb (100 kg) Light work0.55 lb (250 g) Medium work0.88 lb (400 g) Heavy work1.32 lb (600 g)Hay ration: 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb body weight daily, with forage invariably alongside.
Key specs at a glance: 15% starch, 4.6% sugar, 16.4% crude fiber, 9.0% crude fat, 12.6 MJ digestible energy per kg DM.
Set the rate to your horse with the Feeding Calculator, and change rations gradually over several days rather than overnight.
Buying from a store that stands behind the bag matters too: bifid holds a 9.0/10 rating across 24,098 reviews and offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, so you can trial https://horse-feed-guide888.wordcanopy.com/posts/hoveler-original-sport-7-reasons-it-s-the-feed-for-performance the ration with the risk removed. The full analysis is on the Höveler Original Sport product page.
Frequently asked questions
Will a low-starch feed leave my horse without enough energy?
No. Höveler Original Sport supplies 12.6 MJ of digestible energy per kg DM, with 9.0% crude fat from linseed and sunflower oil carrying much of the load. The energy is released more steadily than from a high-starch ration, which fits a hot horse.
How long before I notice a calmer horse?
Most owners feed a new ration consistently for several weeks before judging a change in temperament. Transition gradually over several days and keep work steady so you can judge the difference fairly.
Is it safe to feed at a show?
Yes it is — the feed is competition-safe and FEI-compliant, though you should confirm rules with your event organizer. Keeping the ration unchanged through competition weekend helps a hot horse remain settled.
What exactly makes it suitable for a fizzy horse?
Two numbers carry the main load: starch capped at 15% and sugar at just 4.6%. Those limits reduce the quick-burning energy that high-starch rations deliver, while fiber at 16.4% and oil provide more even fuel.
Where can I get help with my feeding plan?
The bifid US team is based in Florida and runs a 24/7 licensed vet team for feeding questions. Store-wide satisfaction sits at 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews, and every order carries a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.