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 tries a rider's patience like a horse that comes out fresher 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 classic culprit behind excess spark, and Höveler Original Sport was engineered the opposite way. Made in Germany since 1905 — over 120 years of expertise — it proves you can fuel serious work without pouring in starch. Here are seven reasons it helps.
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 fiber and oil than from quick-burning grain.
Who this is for: horses that get spookier, sharper, or harder to focus as a week of high-starch feeding goes on.
2. Sugar at just 4.6%
Sugar is the silent 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 truly low-sugar ration for daily work.
Who this is for: owners who have already cut 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-burning energy source that steady, rideable horses run on.
Who this is for: horses that need lasting energy for a complete 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 — plenty of fuel, released steadily.
Who this is for: sport horses that fade 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 tense horses search for in the ration.
Who this is for: owners who want a full mineral profile without piling on 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 included to support digestive comfort. A settled 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 surprises. The 24/7 licensed vet team at bifid can help you plan the ration before the season starts.
Who this is for: competitors who do not dare 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 always 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.
Match the rate to your horse with the Feeding Calculator, and change rations slowly over several days rather than overnight.
Buying from a store that stands behind the bag matters too: bifid low starch pony feed holds a 9.0/10 rating across 24,098 reviews and offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, so you can test 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 faithfully for several weeks before judging a change in temperament. Transition slowly over several days and keep work steady so you can judge the difference fairly.
Is it safe to feed at a show?
Yes — the feed is competition-safe and FEI-compliant, though you should verify rules with your event organizer. Keeping the ration identical through competition weekend helps a hot horse remain settled.
What exactly makes it suitable for a fizzy horse?
Two numbers do the main work: 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 nutrition questions. Store-wide satisfaction sits at 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews, and each order carries a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee.