9 Reasons Höveler Western Sport Suits a Hard Keeper

Quick answer: Höveler Western Sport is a 44 lb bag of oat-free, high-energy German muesli — 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy, 6.10% crude fat, 14.0% protein and 28% alfalfa at $37.99. Best for a hard keeper in work who needs calories that are dense and usable without a grain-heavy ration. Last checked: September 2026.

You feed and feed, and the ribs still show. Hard keepers lose condition not because they are failing but because their ration falls short of usable energy before the day does. Here are nine reasons this formula is a sensible home for that horse.

1. 12.19 MJ/kg of digestible energy per bite

This is a high-energy feed by design, carrying 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy and 11.21 MJ/kg convertible energy. A hard keeper gets more usable fuel per kilogram than a standard ration offers — which matters when the appetite, not the effort, is the limit.

Who this is for: thin horses in work that finish the bucket but not the energy ledger.

2. 6.10% crude fat brings dense, quiet calories

Crude fat sits at 6.10%, carried by sunflower oil and linseed oil — both listed in the ingredient list on the bifid product page. Fat delivers roughly double the energy of carbohydrate by weight and does it without the behavioral edge of added grain.

The benefit: calories that arrive without the heat.

3. 28% alfalfa puts weight where it shows

Alfalfa makes up 28% of the mix, lifting crude protein to 14.0% with 107 g/kg digestible crude protein. That is the build for topline and hindquarter — the places a hard keeper looks ribby first.

Who this is for: owners who want the weight to arrive as muscle, not just a rounder middle.

4. Amino acids help the weight stick

The protein package is equipped for retention: lysine 0.58%, methionine plus cysteine 0.46%, threonine 0.53%. These are the limiting amino acids that turn feed protein into kept muscle.

The benefit: condition you can still see after a hard week.

5. Inactivated brewer's yeast supports feed efficiency

Hard keepers often waste part of what they eat. Inactivated brewer's yeast in every kilogram supports a steady gut environment, helping the horse get full value from the ration.

Who this is for: thin horses whose manure suggests that feed is passing through underused.

6. Oat-free and low-grain for a touchy gut

The formula is entirely oat-free with starch at 18.30% — low-grain by design. Many hard keepers remain hard precisely because grain-heavy rations disturb the gut before the calories are absorbed.

The benefit: a ration the gut cooperates with.

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7. Micronutrients covered without extra tubs

Every kilogram carries Vitamin A at 18,216 I.E., Vitamin D3 at 3,299 I.E., Vitamin E at 260 mg, biotin at 1,185 µg and a full mineral spread including selenium at 0.25 mg + 0.25 mg selenium yeast. A horse rebuilding its condition needs the entire ration working — this does it in one $37.99 bag.

Who this is for: owners done stacking supplements on top of a feed that still leaves the horse thin.

8. European craft with American service

Höveler has made horse feed in Germany since 1905 — over 120 years of expertise — and bifid's US operation runs from Florida. A hard keeper deserves a formula from a house that has been balancing energy-dense rations for decades.

Who this is for: owners who want track-record formulation rather than the marketing of the moment.

9. Trial it under a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Hard-keeper plans involve trial, and bifid's 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee absorbs some of that. The store rates 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews, and a 24/7 licensed vet team is there if the plan needs adjusting.

The benefit: a first bag at $37.99 without being stuck with it.

How to feed it

Rates are given per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight per day:

Work levelDaily rate 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: 44 lb bag, $37.99, 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy, 6.10% crude fat, 14.0% protein, 18.30% starch. The page gives no heavy-work rate — for a hard keeper in serious work, adjust the amount up to hold body condition and match training intensity, always with adequate forage as the base. Weigh the ration and review condition on a regular schedule. Set the daily plan with the bifid Feeding Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What should I feed a hard keeper in work?

Start with calorie density: Western Sport delivers 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy and 6.10% crude fat, beginning at 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight for medium work and adjusted to condition and training intensity. Keep forage high, divide meals, and have teeth and health looked at if progress stalls.

Will the extra energy make my hard keeper hot?

The formula is oat-free and low-grain, with starch at 18.30% and sugar at 5.30%, and part of the energy comes from oil rather than grain. That profile supports weight without the spike of a sweet feed.

Does it contain soy?

Yes — 1.5% soy extraction meal feed is in the ingredient list, so it is not soy-free. It is completely oat-free. Check the full list if your horse has specific exclusions.

How long before I see condition change?

Body condition shifts over weeks rather than days. Feed consistently at the rate matched to work, keep forage adequate, and reassess body condition every two weeks or so.

Is there a guarantee if it does not work?

Yes — bifid offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, so the first $37.99 bag is a low-risk test.