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 turn loose, the girth gets gnarly, or the attitude sours. Grain sensitivity does not mean your horse cannot be a performance horse — it means the energy has to come from somewhere else. Höveler, making horse feed in Germany since 1905 with over 120 years of expertise, built Original Sport on 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, starch sensitivity. Original Sport caps starch at 15%, a deliberately reduced level for a performance muesli. The benefit: fuel for work without the starch load that triggers sensitive horses.
Who this is for: horses whose troubles show up alongside 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 comfortable only when both numbers stay 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 https://horse-feed-brands104.hexaforgey.com/posts/hoveler-original-sport-9-reasons-it-holds-up-through-competition-season is the classic European route for sensitive horses in work.
Who this is for: performance horses that need a full 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 a multi-stage fermentation process, to support stable gut function. Gut support in the ration itself is just what a grain-sensitive horse needs.
Who this is for: owners currently 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 frequent triggers 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 react to 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 horse who should face a ration change, and this formula takes away the need for one.
Who this is for: competitors whose sensitive horses fall apart when anything changes 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 first and always alongside, because the hay 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 — map it out with the Feeding Calculator and swap in a portion of the old ration each day until the switch is complete.
For ongoing digestive trouble, involve your veterinarian alongside any feed change. bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team can talk 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 ongoing digestive trouble, involve your veterinarian together with any feed change.
How do I switch from my current feed?
Slowly, over several days: replace a portion of the old ration each day until the switch is done. Sensitive horses repay abrupt changes, so keep the timeline cautious.
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.