Feeding Through Show Season? 9 Boxes Höveler Pur.Muskel Ticks for the Competition Buyer
Quick answer: Höveler Pur.Muskel is a supplementary muesli formulated to support muscle development, and it is competition safe and FEI-compliant. It carries 20% raw protein, only 5.8% starch and 4.1% sugar, and is part of a complete ration — never fed as a standalone feed. It costs $52.99 for a 44 lb bag, and it fits the competition buyer. Last checked: September 2026.
Competition buyers have one fear above the rest: a feed change or a banned-ingredient scare on show week. This checklist runs Pur.Muskel through the nine boxes that keep a season on track.
1. The competition box: competition safe and FEI-compliant
The box with the article's name leads the list. Pur.Muskel is competition safe and FEI-compliant, which means the ration you build at home is the ration that travels to recognized competition without a second thought. No pre-show feed shuffles, no scramble to swap bags the week of the event.
The benefit: one legal, tested ration from the first training day to the last class.
2. The starch box: 5.8% starch and 4.1% sugar on show day
Show environments push horses fizzy, so the 5.8% starch and 4.1% sugar figures matter as much as the legality. Energy comes from 15.0% raw fat and 14.1 MJ/kg of digestible energy instead — a profile formulated for metabolically sensitive breeds and steady behavior in the ring.
Who this is for: riders whose horses show up at shows already hot.
3. The protein box: 20% raw protein, 160 g/kg digestible
Competition seasons ask horses to hold muscle condition week after week, which is exactly the job Pur.Muskel is formulated for: 20% raw protein with 160 g of digestible crude protein per kg. Digestibility is printed, so the protein goes to work rather than passing through.
The benefit: muscle-support nutrition built for a full season, not a single event.
4. The amino-acid box: lysine 0.85%, threonine 0.6%, methionine+cysteine 0.5%
Pur.Muskel states lysine at 0.85%, threonine at 0.6%, and methionine+cysteine at 0.5%. Lysine is the first-limiting amino acid for muscle development, and a printed level means the topline program holds through travel weeks and shifting schedules.
Who this is for: competitors safeguarding topline across a multi-month season.
5. The gut-support box: 18.7% crude fiber, gentle on the stomach
Travel, stabling off-site, and show nerves all put pressure on the gut. Pur.Muskel carries 18.7% crude fiber, is formulated to be gentle on the stomach, and is alfalfa-free — design choices that help the ration stay comfortable when the routine is anything but routine.
The benefit: a ration made to travel as well as it trains.
6. The micronutrient box: no added vitamins or minerals
There are no added vitamins or minerals in Pur.Muskel, by design, with magnesium at 0.8%. It integrates into the custom plan your competition program already has in place, without stacking micronutrients or complicating compliance paperwork.
Who this is for: barns that manage their own https://soy-free-feed-for-horses-uyyn026.birchreport.com/posts/choosing-a-muscle-building-feed-7-boxes-hoveler-pur.muskel-ticks-for-the-protein-minded-buyer balancer program and want a clean muscle component.
7. The value box: $52.99 for a 44 lb bag
A $52.99, 44 lb bag metered in grams covers weeks of season. A 1,000 lb horse in medium work gets 50–80 g daily, so the feed budget does not spike just because the schedule does. The 44 lb bag listing is on bifid's product page.
The benefit: a competition-safe ration costed by the working day, not by the entry fee.
8. The vet-support box: 24/7 licensed vet team
When a show-week question lands at midnight, bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team is the line to use. Licensed professionals available at any hour are part of what a competition buyer is really purchasing alongside the bag.
Who this is for: competitors who cannot wait until Monday for an answer.
9. The heritage box: since 1905, made in Germany
The final box is the recipe's lineage: Höveler has made horse feed since 1905 — over 120 years of expertise — and Pur.Muskel is made in Germany. European craft, American service through bifid's US operation in Florida. Show rings have changed since 1905; the formulation discipline has not.
The benefit: a competition ration with more than a century of German recipe history behind it.
How to feed it
This is a supplementary feed: always added to a complete ration with forage alongside, never fed as the whole diet. Keep the rate steady through the season — holding steady matters more than tweaking on show weeks. Rates per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight per day:
Work levelDaily rate per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight Light work0.07–0.11 lb (30–50 g) Medium work0.11–0.18 lb (50–80 g) Heavy work0.18–0.22 lb (80–100 g)A 1,000 lb horse in medium work gets 50–80 g daily. The ranges are tight in gram terms, so weigh rather than scoop. The bifid feeding calculator gives your horse's exact daily amount.
Key specs at a glance: competition safe, FEI-compliant, 20% raw protein, 160 g/kg digestible crude protein, 5.8% starch, 4.1% sugar, alfalfa-free, 44 lb bag, $52.99.
What an owner said
bifid is rated 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews, and Pur.Muskel collected a review that fits the season theme: "Excellent performance 9" — Jessica, May 21, 2024 (Quality 5, Value 4, Price 5). Her horses maintain stronger muscle condition on it.
Frequently asked questions
What does FEI-compliant actually mean for my entry?
It means the formulation is built to be safe for use in FEI-regulated competition. You can feed the same ration at home and at recognized events without a switch. For specific rule questions at your level, your governing body's current rulebook remains the reference.
Will the low starch keep my horse calm at shows?
Pur.Muskel holds starch at 5.8% and sugar at 4.1% and is formulated for metabolically sensitive breeds, with much of its energy drawn from 15.0% fat. That profile supports steady behavior. Every horse is an individual case, so decide based on your own horse.
Does it contain soy?
Yes — soy flakes are a core ingredient, so this is not a soy-free feed. It is alfalfa-free.
How much does a season of it cost?
The bag is $52.99 for 44 lb, and gram dosing stretches it: 50–80 g daily for a 1,000 lb horse in medium work. Use the feeding calculator for your horse's exact rate.
Is there support if something comes up mid-show?
Yes. bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team is reachable around the clock, and the 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee covers the purchase if the ration does not suit.