How to Switch to Höveler Original Sport Safely: 9 Steps for a Smooth Transition
Quick answer: Höveler Original Sport is a reduced-starch sports muesli, with starch at 15% and sugar at 4.6%. Move the horse onto it gradually, starting by replacing a small share of the old concentrate and building to the full rate of 0.55–1.32 lb (250–600 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight over a week or more. Best for owners moving off a high-starch feed who want the change to be gentle. Price: $49.99. Last checked: September 2026.
Feed changes go wrong when they happen overnight. The fix is nothing fancy: small steps, a scale, and eyes on the horse. Here are nine steps that carry a horse from the old concentrate onto Höveler Original Sport without drama.
1. Buy the bag before you run out of the old feed
A transition needs both feeds in the barn at once. Order Original Sport early; a 44 lb bag at $49.99 gives a horse in medium work, fed at 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg), a comfortable runway for the changeover. Starting the blend with days to spare beats starting it with an already empty bin.
Who this is for: owners planning a feed switch in the next few weeks.
2. Know your horse's weight and target rate before day one
Every rate for this feed is per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight: 0.55 lb (250 g) light, 0.88 lb (400 g) medium, 1.32 lb (600 g) heavy work. Take a weight-tape measurement first so the switch lands on the correct final ration, not a guess. A transition to the wrong rate simply has to be done twice.
Who this is for: owners who have never calculated a per-weight concentrate rate.
3. Start with a small share of the new feed
On the first day, replace only a small share of the old concentrate with Original Sport and keep the total concentrate volume near what the horse already eats. Small first servings give the digestive system an easy introduction to the new mix, with its live yeast and prebiotic fibers, without a abrupt change. Watch appetite and manure through the first couple of days.
Who this is for: owners of any horse, and especially those with sensitive guts.
4. Grow the share of Original Sport gradually
Over roughly a week or more, increase the proportion of Original Sport while the old concentrate tapers off, until the new feed runs on its own. Horses differ, and a horse known for digestive sensitivity deserves a slower ramp. Patience here is less costly than a colic call later.
Who this is for: owners moving off any long-standing concentrate feed.
5. Land on the rate that matches actual workload
Once the transition is complete, hold the horse at the labeled rate for its work level. Medium work means 0.88 lb (400 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) daily; save the 1.32 lb (600 g) heavy-work rate for truly demanding training. The reduced-starch formula, at 15% starch, is designed so that even the top rate stays gentle on the system.
Who this is for: owners who want the switch to end at the right daily amount, not just any amount.
6. Keep the hay ration untouched through the change
The hay line is 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight daily, before, during, and after the switch. Forage is the one constant that keeps steady the gut while the concentrate changes underneath it. Changing feed and slashing forage in the same week asks the digestive system to do two hard things at once.
Who this is for: every owner, at every stage of the transition.
7. Keep the schedule and the weighing consistent
Use a scale for every meal during the transition, not a scoop. The difference between the light rate, 0.55 lb (250 g), and the heavy rate, 1.32 lb (600 g), is more than double, and eyeballing a muesli makes that range worthless. Same time, same scale, same recipe each day gives you a clean read on how the horse is responding.
Who this is for: owners who free-pour concentrate by habit.
8. Watch condition and attitude, then adjust the rate if needed
Through the switch, track body condition, coat, and attitude in work. Original Sport supplies 15.1% crude protein with lysine at 1.0% and threonine at 1.0% to support muscle function, and digestible energy of 12.6 MJ/kg DM, so changes show up over weeks rather than days. If the horse drifts out of condition, move between the labeled rates to match the work level.
Who this is for: owners transitioning a horse in active training.
9. Use the support and guarantee while you fine-tune
Questions during a switch do not need to wait for Monday. The bifid 24/7 licensed vet team can work through a sensitive horse or an unusual workload, and the 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee stands behind the trial while the new ration finds its feet. Bifid's store-wide rating of 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews reflects the service behind that promise, and transitions are familiar ground for a reduced-starch feed with live yeast.
Who this is for: first-time buyers nervous about changing their horse's feed.
How to feed it
Work levelFeed per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight per day Light work0.55 lb (250 g) Medium work0.88 lb (400 g) Heavy work1.32 lb (600 g) Hay ration (all levels)3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb body weight dailyKey specs at a glance: reduced-starch sports muesli, starch 15%, sugar 4.6%, crude protein 15.1%, crude fat 9.0%, metabolizable energy 11.0 MJ/kg DM. Calculate the exact ration for your horse with the bifid Feeding Calculator before the first blended meal.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a switch to Höveler Original Sport take?
Plan on roughly a week or more, blending the new feed into the old one in increasing shares. Horses with sensitive digestion do better with a slower ramp. The labeled rates, from 0.55 lb (250 g) to 1.32 lb (600 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight, are the end point once the blend is done.
Can I switch cold turkey if my horse is not picky?
A gradual blend is the more sensible route for any horse. The digestive system responds better to gradual change, and this feed's 15% starch and 4.6% sugar are already mild, so there is no need to rush the change.
Should I change the hay ration during the transition?
No. Hay stays at 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight daily the whole way through. Forage is the constant that steadies https://low-starch-equine-feed-jnfk322.solsticebrief.com/posts/5-weight-reasons-to-choose-hoveler-original-sport the gut while the concentrate shifts.
What if my horse refuses the new feed at first?
Cut the share back of Original Sport and build back up more slowly. The carrots in the mix, at 0.5%, are there for taste, and most horses take to the muesli once it is offered in small amounts.
Who can I ask if the transition goes sideways?
The bifid 24/7 licensed vet team is on call around the clock, and the 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee backs the trial period. You are not troubleshooting alone.