Höveler Western Sport: 7 Reasons It's the Feed for Performance
Quick answer: Höveler Western Sport is a high-energy, low-grain muesli classified for performance, built on 28% alfalfa with 14% protein, 12.19 MJ digestible energy per kg, and a full vitamin and mineral package with vitamin E at 260 mg per kg. It is competition-safe and FEI-compliant, priced at $37.99 for a 44 lb bag. Best for western performance horses whose owners want a single feed that carries prep, competition, and everything between. Last checked: September 2026.
Performance is the word on the label, and it is the word that should decide what ends up in the bucket. A performance feed has to do multiple jobs at once: fuel the work, protect the gut, maintain the muscle, and stay legal on show day. Here are seven reasons Western Sport was engineered to clear all four bars.
1. A performance classification backed by real energy numbers
Western Sport is categorized as a feed with Performance functionality, and the product page at bifid backs the label with figures: 12.19 MJ of digestible energy per kg and 11.21 MJ convertible energy. It is described as a high-energy muesli for medium to intensively trained western horses — not a leisure mix with sporty packaging. At 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight in medium work, the design assumes a horse with a real job. Numbers come first, category second. That is the order a performance purchase ought to run in.
Who this is for: owners who want a feed classified and measured for work, not marketed at it.
2. 28% alfalfa — performance muscle, built into the base ration
The single largest named ingredient is 28% alfalfa, which the page ties directly to muscle development and peak performance. Behind it sits 14.0% crude protein with 107 g/kg digestible crude protein and named amino acids: lysine 0.58%, threonine 0.53%, methionine+cysteine 0.46%. That is a performance protein package supplied every day without a standalone supplement. Peak performance is not a marketing slogan in this formula; it is a supply chain. The horse's working muscles get their materials with every meal.
Who this is for: competitors whose horses must hold muscle quality through a full season of showing.
3. Low-grain, oat-free architecture — performance without the price of fizz
A performance horse who cannot focus is not performing. Western Sport is oat-free and low-grain, with starch at 18.30% and sugar at 5.30%, while energy also flows through 6.10% crude fat from sunflower and linseed oil and 16.7% crude fiber. The page lists "suits oat-sensitive horses" among its highlights. This is European formulation thinking applied to the western pen: usable energy, level head, hindgut left alone to work. The analysis supports the marketing rather than the other way around.
Who this is for: performance horses that spook, sharpen, or sour on traditional grain but still need full fuel.
4. Inactivated brewer's yeast and fiber — the gut does its job under pressure
Competition schedules are stress tests for digestion, and Western Sport includes inactivated brewer's yeast as one of its named standouts, with 16.7% crude fiber and 28% alfalfa behind it. A supported hindgut is what keeps appetite, droppings, and condition steady through stalling, travel, and adrenaline. The page also calls for adequate forage alongside the concentrate — the pairing that carries performance horses through show weeks. Höveler has made feed since 1905, over 120 years of expertise, and gut-aware sport formulation is a hallmark of that lineage. The feed is built for the worst week of the season.
Who this is for: horses performance horse feed whose appetite and condition wobble the moment the trailer door closes.
5. A complete vitamin and mineral package, published per kg
Performance horses draw down micronutrients, and Western Sport ships them in the bag: vitamin E 260 mg, Vitamin A 18,216 I.E., Vitamin D3 3,299 I.E., biotin 1,185 µg, B-vitamins including B12 at 280 µg, niacin at 35 mg, and folic acid at 3.4 mg per kg, plus zinc/copper at 18.8 mg and dual selenium at 0.25 mg each from sodium selenite and selenium yeast. That is a full support stack within the base ration, printed in checkable units. One tub fewer in the tack room, one fewer variable in the program. For a competitor, having fewer variables is an advantage in itself.
Who this is for: owners who currently stack three supplement containers on top of a base feed to reach this package.
6. Competition-safe and FEI-compliant — the feed survives testing day
Every performance claim ends at the drug test, and Western Sport is competition-safe and FEI-compliant. That means zero pre-show feed swaps, no transition risk in the final week, and no last-minute rule-checking anxiety about what is in the bucket. Verify specific rules with your event organizer, as the page recommends — but the formulation is designed for sanctioned competition. Consistency from the first prep to the finals is a winning strategy, and this feed makes it automatic. European craft, American service, legal in the pen.
Who this is for: competitors in sanctioned western competition who cannot afford a feed switch or a compliance question mid-season.
7. Over 120 years of expertise, a 9.0/10 store, and a risk-free trial
The support structure matters just as much as the formula. Höveler has made horse feed since 1905 — over 120 years of expertise — and Western Sport is made in Germany to that standard. In the US, bifid holds a 9.0/10 rating across 24,098 store reviews, runs a 24/7 licensed vet team, and backs the purchase with a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. That combination lets you test the feed across one honest training block with nothing on the line. Performance decisions deserve that much runway. The 44 lb bag is $37.99.
Who this is for: owners making a considered performance-feed switch who want heritage, service, and a refundable trial.
How to feed it
Daily amounts, per 220 lb / 100 kg body weight:
Work levelDaily amount 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: muesli mix, 44 lb bag, $37.99; 12.19 MJ digestible energy per kg, 28% alfalfa, 14.0% crude protein; oat-free; competition-safe and FEI-compliant.
Calculate your horse's starting rate with the bifid Feeding Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Western Sport a good choice for a competition horse?
It is classified for performance, formulated for medium to intensively trained western horses, and it is competition-safe and FEI-compliant. It supplies 12.19 MJ digestible energy per kg with 28% alfalfa and 14.0% crude protein. Verify the specific rules with your event high energy feed for horses organizer, as the page notes.
Will it keep my horse focused, or will it heat him up?
The formula is oat-free and low-grain, with 18.30% starch and 5.30% sugar, and energy also delivered through 6.10% crude fat and 16.7% crude fiber. That profile is designed for usable, steady energy rather than sharpness. Judge it on your own horse over a full training block.
Do I still need supplements on top of it?
The feed carries vitamin E at 260 mg per kg, biotin at 1,185 µg per kg, two selenium sources, and a full vitamin and mineral package published per kg. Many owners will need nothing extra for baseline coverage. Discuss your specific program with your vet or bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team.
How much should I feed during heavy competition weeks?
The listed rates are 0.55 lb (250 g) for light work and 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight for medium work. No heavy-work rate is published; scale to your horse's condition and training intensity with adequate forage always provided.
What does the 44 lb bag cost?
The 44 lb bag is $37.99, covered by bifid's 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, with a store rating of 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews.