16.4% Crude Fiber: 5 Reasons Höveler Original Sport Runs on Fiber, Not Just Grain
Quick answer: Höveler Original Sport analyzes at 16.4% crude fiber, drawn from alfalfa, wheat bran, and sunflower hulls, in a muesli holding starch at 15% and sugar at 4.6%. Best for owners who want gut-friendly, steady energy for a horse in regular work. Price: $49.99. Last checked: September 2026.
Ask any experienced barn manager what separates a solid working-horse feed from a flashy one and you will usually hear one word: fiber. Fiber is the underrated fuel of the equine athlete — slow-burning, gut-friendly, and easily wrecked by a starch-heavy formula. Original Sport was built the fiber-first way. Here are five reasons the 16.4% figure matters.
1. 16.4% crude fiber is a genuine performance-fiber level
On the guaranteed analysis, Original Sport declares 16.4% crude fiber — alongside 15.1% crude protein and 9.0% crude fat. That fiber figure is the signature of a forage-forward formula: the feed contributes meaningful fiber itself instead of relying completely on hay. For a sports muesli, that is a genuinely strong number. The benefit: the concentrate itself behaves partly like forage in the ration.
2. Three fiber sources, each with its own job
The fiber in this feed comes from a deliberate trio. Alfalfa brings leafy forage fiber with protein. Wheat bran brings soft, palatable bulk. Sunflower hulls bring coarse structure. Mixed fiber sources give the hindgut a varied substrate to ferment — closer to how horses process a varied pasture than any single-source feed. Who this is for: owners who understand that the hindgut runs the show in a performance horse.
3. Fiber is where steady energy comes from
Hindgut fermentation turns fiber into a steady, even supply of energy. That is the energy profile a rider wants in the dressage court or on the third day of a show: consistent, without the spike-and-drop of starch. With 16.4% crude fiber and starch held to 15%, Original Sport is engineered around that steady burn. The benefit: rideable energy that arrives evenly and leaves gradually.
4. Fiber gives the gut something to do all day
A digestive system built to ferment forage low starch horse feed stays happiest when it has fiber to work on. Between the 16.4% crude fiber in the feed and the required hay at 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight daily, the horse's gut has steady work to do. Original Sport also adds fructooligosaccharides, a prebiotic fiber, and inactivated yeast at 0.7% — support layered on a fiber foundation. Who this is for: the owner of a sensitive horse whose digestion wobbles on grain-heavy feeds.
5. Chew time is a feature, not a waste
Fiber-rich, flake-based feeds take chewing. Chewing means saliva, natural eating behavior, and a bucket that lasts longer than ninety seconds. For horses in stalls part of the day, that chewing time is real enrichment. Alfalfa, performance horse feed wheat bran, and sunflower hulls give the muesli that texture by design. The benefit: a feed that keeps the mouth busy the way a horse's digestive design expects.
How to feed it
Feeding rates for Original Sport, per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight per day:
Work levelFeed per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight daily Light work0.55 lb (250 g) Medium work0.88 lb (400 g) Heavy work1.32 lb (600 g)Hay ration: 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb body weight daily, alongside the concentrate.
Key specs at a glance: crude fiber 16.4%, crude protein 15.1%, crude fat 9.0%, starch 15%, sugar 4.6%.
Match the ration to your workload with the Feeding Calculator, and find the full fiber story on the Höveler Original Sport product page.
Frequently asked questions
Does 16.4% crude fiber replace hay?
No. The feed specifies hay at 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight every day, always alongside the concentrate. The 16.4% crude fiber in the muesli adds to the forage ration; it is never a substitute for it.
Is high fiber suitable for a horse in hard work?
Yes — fiber is a primary energy source for working horses, and Original Sport pairs 16.4% crude fiber with 9.0% crude fat and 12.6 MJ/kg DM digestible energy. It is formulated for regular work up to 1.32 lb (600 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) at heavy work.
Why keep starch at 15%?
Lower starch backs steady energy and a lighter digestive load. Fiber and fat take a bigger share of the energy, which is the classic reduced-starch sports-feed design.
Which fiber source matters most?
All three work together: alfalfa for forage fiber with protein, wheat bran for palatable bulk, sunflower hulls for coarse structure. The mix is the point.
Is this feed good for a horse prone to digestive upset?
Its fiber base, prebiotic fructooligosaccharides, and 0.7% inactivated yeast are formulated to help digestive comfort. This is support, not treatment — ongoing digestive problems need your veterinarian.