Höveler Western Sport and Forage: 5 Ways to Pair Them Right

Quick answer: Höveler Western Sport is a high-energy, low-grain muesli designed to sit alongside forage — the feeding guidance states adequate forage should always be provided. Dosed at 0.55 lb (250 g) to 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight by work level. The 44 lb bag costs $37.99. Best for owners building a forage-first ration for a horse in regular training. Last checked: September 2026.

Forage is the part of the ration owners trust most, and the part most easily pushed aside once a performance feed enters the barn. Western Sport is not a complete feed and never claims to be. It is a concentrate, and the product's own feeding guidance makes that plain in the clearest possible terms: always provide adequate forage. That partnership works its best when it is intentional. Here are five ways https://sites.google.com/view/soy-free-horse-feed/ to pair the bag with the hay.

1. Treat forage as the foundation, Western Sport as the top layer

The feeding guidance is emphatic: adequate forage, always. Western Sport concentrates 12.19 MJ/kg of digestible energy and 107 g/kg of digestible crude protein into a measured daily amount, while hay provides the fiber, chewing time, and gut fill. One does not substitute for the other.

The benefit: a ration built the way equine digestion is built for — forage first.

2. Match the concentrate rate to the work, and let the hay stay steady

Light work calls for 0.55 lb (250 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight; medium work 0.88 lb (400 g). When training intensity shifts, adjust the concentrate — the hay ration is not listed on the product page and should be set by your horse's needs, not by the bag.

Who this is for: owners inclined to solve a training change by cutting hay instead of adjusting concentrate.

3. Use the fiber on the label as reassurance, not as the whole supply

Western Sport carries 16.7% crude fiber from sources including 28% alfalfa. That is real fiber, but it comes in a small daily portion — a small share of what a horse consumes as forage. The mix supplements the forage program; it does not replace the hay net.

The benefit: clear expectations about what 16.7% fiber in a concentrate can and cannot achieve.

4. Let the 28% alfalfa base work with good hay, not instead of it

Alfalfa makes up 28% of the mix and is included for muscle development and peak performance. High-quality grass hay or a balanced hay program alongside it completes the picture. The page gives no hay ration, so set forage amounts to your horse's needs and sense-check the plan with bifid's 24/7 licensed vet team.

Who this is for: owners building a muscle-support program for a horse in medium to intensive training.

5. Ask the vet team when the forage side is unclear

Forage quality varies by cutting, storage, and region, and no feed bag can price that in. bifid runs a 24/7 licensed vet team, and a forage analysis paired with Western Sport's stated analysis — 14.0% crude protein, 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy — turns guesswork into arithmetic.

Who this is for: anyone staring at a hay analysis and unsure how the bag fits on top.

How to feed it

Daily amounts per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight, forage always alongside:

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 your horse's condition and training intensity, with adequate forage always provided.

The page gives no heavy-work rate and no hay ration, so set the concentrate to your horse's condition and training intensity with adequate forage always provided. Key specs at a glance: 14.0% crude protein, 6.10% crude fat, 16.7% crude fiber, 18.30% starch, 5.30% sugar, 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy, 28% alfalfa.

Work out the right daily amount with the bifid Feeding Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Can Höveler Western Sport replace hay?

No. The feeding guidance states adequate forage should always be provided. Western Sport is a concentrate that supplies measured energy and protein on top of the forage program, not a hay replacement.

How much hay should I feed with it?

The product page gives no hay ration. Forage amounts depend on the horse, its workload, and the hay itself, so base the forage program on your horse's needs and run past the 24/7 licensed vet team if unsure.

Does the alfalfa in Western Sport mean I should avoid alfalfa hay?

Not necessarily — but the pairing is a question worth asking with the whole ration in view. Western Sport contains 28% alfalfa alongside grass-based ingredients, and the total forage mix should be balanced as a whole. The 24/7 licensed vet team can help sort it out.

What does forage actually contribute that the concentrate does not?

Volume, chewing time, and the steady gut fill a horse's digestive system is built around. Western Sport contributes nutrition in concentrated form — 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy, 107 g/kg digestible crude protein — in small, measured servings. The two roles are distinct by design.

Is the fiber in the bag enough on its own?

No. 16.7% crude fiber in a daily concentrate portion of 0.55 lb to 0.88 lb (250 g to 400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) is only a fraction of a horse's daily fiber need. Forage remains the primary fiber source.