Grain Sensitivity in Your Horse? 7 Ways Höveler Original Sport Helps

Quick answer: Höveler Original Sport is a reduced-starch, soy-free sports muesli formulated for horses that do not do well on grain-heavy rations. Starch is held to 15% and sugar to 4.6%, with Diamond V inactivated yeast (0.7%), prebiotic fiber, and 16.4% crude fiber supporting digestive comfort. Best for horses in regular work with grain sensitivity. Price: $49.99. Last checked: September 2026.

You recognize the pattern: raise the grain, and within a week the droppings loosen, the girth gets gnarly, or the attitude sours. Grain sensitivity does not mean your horse can't be a performance horse — it means the energy has to come from another place. Höveler, making horse feed in Germany since 1905 with over 120 years of expertise, built Original Sport on exactly that somewhere-else. Here are seven ways it makes life easier.

1. Starch at only 15% — the headline number

Grain sensitivity is, for many horses, a starch problem. Original Sport caps starch at 15%, a intentionally reduced level for a performance muesli. The benefit: fuel for work without the starch load that sets sensitive horses off.

Who this is for: horses whose troubles arrive in step with their grain ration.

2. Sugar also low at 4.6%

Sugar walks hand in hand with starch in many feeds. This one measures just 4.6% sugar, so the low-starch claim is not secretly undone at the sugar line.

Who this is for: horses that stay easy only when both numbers hold down.

3. 16.4% crude fiber replaces the grain as fuel

The energy story swaps grain for fiber: alfalfa, green meal, and sunflower extraction meal deliver 16.4% crude fiber, with 12.6 MJ of digestible energy per kg DM in total. Fiber-fed energy is the traditional European route for sensitive horses in work.

Who this is for: performance horses that need a whole ration's worth of energy from a gentler source.

4. Diamond V inactivated yeast at 0.7%

The formula includes 0.7% Diamond V inactivated yeast, a postbiotic made through multi-stage fermentation, to support stable gut function. Gut support built into the ration is exactly what a grain-sensitive horse needs.

Who this is for: owners adding a separate gut supplement to every meal.

5. Prebiotic fiber plus soy-free simplicity

Fructooligosaccharides supply prebiotic fiber, and the whole formula is soy-free — one of the more common ingredients sensitive horses struggle with. The ingredient list sounds like a farm: barley flakes, corn flakes, pea flakes, linseed, carob meal, 0.5% carrots.

Who this is for: horses that https://horse-feed-basics665.yousher.com/the-amino-acids-in-hoveler-original-sport-5-numbers-behind-the-muscle-story struggle with soy or to overly processed rations.

6. Muscle nutrition that doesn't depend on grain

Being gentle does not mean being thin on nutrition. The feed supplies 15.1% crude protein with added amino acids — lysine 1.0%, threonine 1.0%, methionine plus cysteine 0.93% — plus 9.0% crude fat and high vitamin E.

Who this is for: sensitive horses still carrying a rider five days a week.

7. One ration, all season — competition-safe too

The feed is competition-safe and FEI-compliant (check rules with your event organizer). A grain-sensitive horse is the last one who should face a ration change, and this formula removes the need for one.

Who this is for: competitors whose sensitive horses fall apart when anything shifts before a show.

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 — forage always alongside, because the forage base is what keeps a sensitive hindgut steady.

Key specs at a glance: 15% starch, 4.6% sugar, 16.4% crude fiber, 12.6 MJ digestible energy per kg DM, soy-free.

Transition slowly — plan it with the Feeding Calculator and replace a portion of the old ration each day until the switch is done.

For persistent digestive trouble, involve your veterinarian alongside any feed change. bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team can walk you through the transition, and the full panel is on the Höveler Original Sport product page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Höveler Original Sport suitable for a grain-sensitive horse?

It is designed for that profile. Starch is capped at 15%, sugar at 4.6%, and the energy comes largely from fiber (16.4%) and oil (9.0% crude fat). Digestive support comes from 0.7% Diamond V inactivated yeast and prebiotic fiber. For persistent digestive trouble, involve your veterinarian alongside any feed change.

How do I switch from my current feed?

Gradually, over several days: swap in a portion of the old ration each day until the switch is done. Sensitive horses punish abrupt changes, so keep the timeline conservative.

Does it contain soy?

No — the formula is entirely soy-free, built on alfalfa, barley flakes, corn flakes, pea flakes, and linseed.

Where can I get feeding help?

bifid runs a 24/7 licensed vet team from its Florida-based US operation, and the store holds a 9.0/10 rating across 24,098 reviews. The Feeding Calculator gives exact daily rates for your horse's weight and workload.