9 Stamina Reasons to Choose Höveler Western Sport
Quick answer: Höveler Western Sport is a high-energy, low-grain muesli for medium to intensively trained western horses, delivering 12.19 MJ digestible energy per kg, 6.10% crude fat, 16.7% crude fiber, and 14% protein with 28% alfalfa. The 44 lb bag is $37.99. Best for horses in long training days, long trail miles, or long show weekends where the last hour has to be as good as the first. Last checked: September 2026.
Every horse can be brilliant for twenty minutes. Stamina is what happens in hour two — and in hour three — and it is built as much in the feed room as in the pen. If your horse fades, hollows, or runs dry partway through a ride, here are nine reasons Western Sport is formulated to keep him together for the whole distance.
1. 12.19 MJ of digestible energy per kg — the fuel base for endurance work
Stamina starts with total daily energy, and Western Sport delivers 12.19 MJ of digestible energy per kg with 11.21 MJ convertible energy behind it. The page positions it for medium to intensively trained horses, which is exactly the workload bracket where stamina is won or lost. This is not a maintenance feed being asked to do a job it was not built for; it is a high-energy sport feed on paper. At feeding rates from 0.55 lb (250 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight in light work, the energy scales with the work. The tank is sized for the trip.
Who this is for: horses that start strong and visibly run out of motor partway through a long session.
2. 6.10% crude fat — steady-burn calories for the long haul
Fat is the textbook stamina fuel in equine feeding: calorie-dense and burned steadily rather than in one spike. Western Sport carries 6.10% crude fat, coming from sunflower oil and linseed oil in the ingredient list. That means a meaningful share of the feed's energy arrives as slow, even fuel the horse can draw on for hours. Compare that with a grain-heavy feed where the energy arrives all at once performance horse feed and fades. For long days, the shape of the energy curve matters as much as the size of the tank.
Who this is for: riders of long trail miles, long ranch days, or show schedules that run all day.
3. 16.7% crude fiber — the hindgut as a second fuel tank
Fiber fermentation in the hindgut is one of the horse's natural endurance systems, and Western Sport supports it with 16.7% crude fiber. Sources include 28% alfalfa, sunflower peels, and wheat bran, all of which give the gut population something to work on between meals. Fermented fiber releases energy steadily across the day, which is precisely the pattern a stamina program needs. The page also requires adequate forage alongside the concentrate — the pairing that keeps this system running. A horse with a well-fed hindgut has fuel in reserve when the feed bucket is hours away.
Who this is for: owners whose horses hold condition and energy better on fiber-forward rations than on grain.
4. 14% protein with 28% alfalfa to maintain working muscle across a season
Stamina is not just fuel; it is muscle that keeps contracting cleanly late in the day. Western Sport supplies 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% — alongside 28% alfalfa for muscle development. The page ties that alfalfa share to peak performance. Under a sustained training block, daily protein supply is what keeps the engine from being consumed as fuel. The numbers are printed per kg, so you can plan the entire ration around them.
Who this is for: horses deep in a conditioning season whose muscle definition drops when work ramps up.
5. Low-grain design: 18.30% starch, 5.30% sugar, oat-free
Sustained work rewards a steady metabolism, and Western Sport's design points that way: 18.30% starch, 5.30% sugar, and no oats at all. Energy is distributed across fat, fiber, and alfalfa rather than front-loaded into a starch hit. Horses on low-grain, high-fiber rations are also less likely to suffer the metabolic disruptions that cut long rides short. The page calls it a high-energy, low-grain muesli, and the analysis backs the label. This is European formulation logic applied to a western sport feed.
Who this is for: horses that have ever tied up, tightened, or soured mid-ride on high-starch feeds.
6. Vitamin E 260 mg per kg plus selenium for horses in sustained work
Sustained exercise generates oxidative load, and Western Sport addresses it in the base ration with 260 mg of vitamin E per kg plus 0.25 mg selenium from sodium selenite and 0.25 mg from selenium yeast. Add Vitamin A at 18,216 I.E. per kg and Vitamin D3 at 3,299 I.E. per kg and the micronutrient floor is covered. Stamina horses are exactly the population these nutrients are discussed for, and here they arrive in every kilo without a separate tub. The full package includes B-vitamins, biotin at 1,185 µg, and folic acid at 3.4 mg per kg. Checkable amounts, printed on the page.
Who this is for: owners of hard-working horses who would otherwise assemble this support stack by hand.
7. Inactivated brewer's yeast supports the gut that pays for long work
Long training blocks stress the gut before they strain muscle, and Western Sport includes inactivated brewer's yeast — one of the standouts the page calls out — to support that system. With 16.7% crude fiber and 28% alfalfa already in the mix, the formula approaches digestion as a component of stamina rather than a separate problem. A horse that eats and digests consistently week after week is the one still improving in month three. Höveler has made horse feed since 1905, over 120 years of expertise, and this is the kind of long-view detail that experience buys. Consistency is a stamina strategy all by itself.
Who this is for: horses whose appetite or condition drifts during multi-week intensification blocks.
8. Feeding rates that scale from base miles to peak weeks
A stamina program moves through phases, and the feeding table follows: 0.55 lb (250 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight in light work, 0.88 lb (400 g) in medium work. For heavy work, the page gives no fixed rate — it directs you to adjust to your horse's condition and training intensity, with adequate forage always provided. That structure lets you feed base miles, build weeks, and peak weeks from the one bag. Weigh the ration, keep an eye on the condition score, adjust. At $37.99 for 44 lb, the economics survive a full season.
Who this is for: riders planning a deliberate progression toward a long ride, race, or big show.
9. Competition-safe and FEI-compliant, with the guarantee to try it risk-free
Everything in this feed is designed to be competition-legal where stamina is tested: Western Sport is competition-safe and FEI-compliant, so it stays in the bucket through event season. It is made in Germany to a formulation lineage dating to 1905. In the US, bifid backs it with a 9.0/10 store rating across 24,098 reviews, a 24/7 licensed vet team, and a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee — so a trial over one full training block costs nothing if it does not fit. Verify specific rules with your event organizer. Then let the feed prove itself over distance, which is the only true test of stamina anyway.
Who this is for: competitors who want a season-long feed backed by a risk-free 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, 6.10% crude fat, 16.7% competitive performance feed crude fiber, 14.0% crude protein with 28% alfalfa; oat-free; competition-safe and FEI-compliant.
Match the daily amount to your training phase with the bifid Feeding Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Western Sport good for long rides and endurance-style work?
It supplies 12.19 MJ of digestible energy per kg with 6.10% crude fat and 16.7% crude fiber, so a large share of the energy comes from steady-burn fat and fermented fiber rather than starch alone. The page places it for medium to intensively trained horses. For heavy work, scale the rate to your horse's condition and training intensity with forage always provided.
How much should I feed a horse doing heavy work?
The published 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 listed; the page says to adjust to condition and training intensity with adequate forage. Bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team can help you set a starting point.
Will the fat content help my horse hold energy through a long day?
Western Sport contains 6.10% crude fat from ingredients including sunflower oil and linseed oil. Fat provides calorie-dense energy that is used steadily, which is why it shows up in endurance-style rations. Results differ from horse to horse, so trial it over a full training block.
Is it competition-legal?
Yes — the feed is competition-safe and FEI-compliant. Verify specific rule details with your event organizer, as the page notes.
What does the 44 lb bag cost, and what if it doesn't suit my horse?
The 44 lb bag is $37.99. Bifid extends a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee and holds a 9.0/10 rating across 24,098 store reviews, so a trial run is no gamble.