Is Your Horse Too Hot Under Saddle? 7 Ways Höveler Western Sport Supports Calm, Usable Energy

Quick answer: Höveler Western Sport is a low-grain, oat-free 44 lb muesli mix made in Germany for medium to intensively trained western horses. Energy comes in at 12.19 MJ per kg of digestible energy with starch held to 18.30% and sugar to 5.30%, at $37.99. Best for a hot or fizzy horse that needs real fuel without the kick of sweet feed. Last checked: September 2026.

You ask for the lope and get handed a launch. Hot behavior under saddle often starts at the feed bucket, where high-starch, high-sugar mixes dump energy faster than a horse can use it. Here are seven ways this muesli is formulated to put rideable energy back in your reins.

1. Starch capped at 18.30%

Starch spikes are the best-known driver of fizzy behavior. Western Sport holds starch at 18.30% — low-grain by design — while still delivering a high-energy 12.19 MJ of digestible energy per kg. Energy arrives steadier when starch stays sensible.

Who this is for: horses that get strong, jumpy or straight-up hot on traditional sweet feeds.

2. Sugar at just 5.30%

Sugar sits at 5.30%, far below the sweetness level of molasses-heavy feeds. Less sugar per meal means fewer of the peaks that turn a quiet colt into a corkscrew. Pull your current bag off the shelf and compare.

The benefit: fuel without the sugar spike.

3. Completely oat-free

Oats are the traditional "hot" grain, and oat-sensitive horses often show it in their behavior. This formula contains zero oats at all — energy comes from barley flakes, corn flakes, sunflower oil and 28% alfalfa instead. You can confirm that on the bifid product page before the bag is even opened.

Who this is for: owners who have already suspected oats and want them out of the bucket.

4. Alfalfa-based energy at 28% of the mix

A full 28% of the muesli is alfalfa, a forage. Forage-based energy is released more slowly than grain-based energy, which supports a calmer, more rideable feel — while the 14.0% crude protein still supports muscle.

The benefit: work energy that feels like steadiness, not spark.

5. Vitamin E at 260 mg per kg supports muscle function

Each kilogram carries 260 mg of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that supports normal muscle function in horses in hard work. A horse whose muscles feel good is a horse that argues less with its rider.

Who this is for: performance horses that get tight or resentful through the back late in the week.

6. FEI-compliant and competition-safe

The formula is competition-safe and FEI-compliant — check the rules with your event organizer. That matters for a hot horse: the goal is a calmer partner, not a doped one, and this feed gets there through formulation, not additives.

The benefit: ride it the whole season, from practice pen to show pen, with confidence.

7. Backed by a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

A feed trial on a hot horse is stressful. Bifid's 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee absorbs the experiment, and the store holds a 9.0/10 rating across 24,098 reviews. Höveler itself has been making horse feed in Germany since 1905 — over 120 years.

Who this is for: owners who want to test the low-starch route without risking the budget.

How to feed it

Rates are given per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight per day:

Work levelDaily rate per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight Light work0.55 lb (250 g) Medium work0.88 lb (400 g) Heavy workNot listed — the page gives no heavy-work rate; adjust to condition and training intensity, with adequate forage always provided.

Key specs at a glance: 44 lb bag, $37.99, 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy, 18.30% starch, 5.30% sugar, 14.0% protein, oat-free muesli. For heavy work the page gives no fixed rate — adjust the amount to your horse's condition and training intensity, and always provide plenty of forage. Size the ration precisely at the bifid Feeding Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Will a low-starch feed give my horse enough energy for hard work?

Yes — Western Sport delivers 12.19 MJ of digestible energy per kg, which is why it is classed as a energy-dense feed for intensively trained western horses. The difference is how the energy is packaged: 18.30% starch and 5.30% sugar instead of a heavy grain-and-molasses load.

What makes horses hot in the first place?

Large starch and sugar loads are the most frequent dietary cause, which is why this formula caps starch at 18.30% and sugar at 5.30%. Training, turnout and fitness all play their part. A feed change supports the picture; it does not replace good riding.

Is it safe to show on?

https://sites.google.com/view/performance-horse-feed/

It is competition-safe and FEI-compliant — always verify rules with your specific event organizer. It works through nutrition, not substances.

Does it contain oats?

No. The formula is entirely oat-free, built instead on 28% alfalfa, barley flakes, corn flakes and added oils. That is one reason it suits oat-sensitive, easily lit-up horses.

How long before I see a calmer horse?

Plan a 7–10 day transition onto the new feed, then give the ration a few weeks at the correct rate — 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight for medium work. The behavior follows the ration, not the day the bag arrives.