Worried About a Sensitive Stomach? 9 Ways Höveler Pur.Muskel Helps

Quick answer: Höveler Pur.Muskel is a supplementary muesli designed to encourage muscle development while staying gentle on the stomach — 5.8% starch, 4.1% sugar, and 18.7% crude fiber, with no added vitamins or minerals. It is added to a complete ration, not fed alone. $52.99 for a 44 lb bag. Last checked: September 2026.

If your horse has ever gone off feed after a trailer ride or left hay in the net overnight, you know the worry: every bucket decision suddenly counts. Stomach-sensitive horses need energy and protein delivered in a form that does not ask the gut to work overtime. Pur.Muskel was built for exactly that job. Nine ways it helps.

1. Low starch — just 5.8%

Starch is the number most stomach-sensitive horses cannot afford in bulk. Pur.Muskel holds starch at 5.8%, keeping the concentrate part of the ration easy on the digestive system.

Who this is for: horses that sour, leave feed behind, or get loose manure on starchier mixes.

2. Low sugar at 4.1%

Alongside the starch figure, sugar sits at 4.1%. That helps keep the energy in the bucket coming from fat and fiber instead of quick-release carbohydrates.

The benefit: a quieter ration without giving up calories.

3. Fiber-forward: 18.7% crude fiber

Pur.Muskel provides 18.7% crude fiber, drawn from meadow lyegrass and the other forage-style ingredients in the mix. Fiber is the fuel the equine gut was designed around.

Who this is for: owners swapping out a grain-heavy concentrate with something closer to the horse's natural diet.

4. Gentle on the stomach by design

The fact sheet says it outright: Pur.Muskel is gentle on the stomach, and it fits metabolically sensitive breeds. That counts because muscle development should never come at the gut's expense.

The benefit: protein for topline delivered in a gut-friendly form.

5. 20% raw protein in small, controlled amounts

Because it is a supplement, you add only what the ration needs — 0.07–0.11 lb (30–50 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight in light work. Small portions mean the stomach handles each meal comfortably.

Who this is for: horses that do better with several small feeds than a single big grain meal.

6. Fat for calories: 15.0% raw fat

Fat supplies 14.1 MJ/kg of digestible energy in this mix at 15.0% raw fat, from ingredients such as linseed oil and sunflower seed. Fat calories don't create the acidity spikes starchy feeds tend to.

The benefit: condition and energy without gut stress.

7. Alfalfa-free formulation

Pur.Muskel is alfalfa-free, which matters https://high-energy-horse-feed-xqpt294.stonefielddigest.com/posts/hoveler-pur.muskel-9-reasons-store-reputation-backs-this-muscle-feed for owners who watch calcium balance or know full well their horse does better without it. The protein comes instead from soy flakes, pea flakes, and sweet lupine flakes.

Who this is for: rations where alfalfa has already been ruled out.

8. No added vitamins or minerals — nothing to clash

With no added vitamins or minerals, Pur.Muskel fits into a custom feeding plan without repeating anything the horse already gets. For a touchy horse, that predictability counts.

The benefit: you control every input, so the gut never gets a surprise.

9. Competition safe and FEI-compliant

Show-day stress is when sensitive stomachs misbehave the most. Pur.Muskel is competition safe and FEI-compliant, so the ration you put together at home holds on show grounds. Bifid backs it with a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee and a 24/7 licensed vet team.

Who this is for: competition horses whose stomachs notice every change.

How to feed it

Pur.Muskel is a supplementary feed mixed into a complete ration — never a standalone complete feed. Rates per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight per day:

Work levelDaily rate per 220 lb (100 kg) body weight Light work0.07–0.11 lb (30–50 g) Medium work0.11–0.18 lb (50–80 g) Heavy work0.18–0.22 lb (80–100 g)

Note how tiny these gram ranges are: a 1,000 lb horse in medium work gets just 50–80 g daily. Divide it across small meals if your horse does better that way, and keep forage consistently alongside.

Key specs at a glance: 44 lb bag, $52.99, raw protein 20%, starch 5.8%, sugar 4.1%, crude fiber 18.7%, raw fat 15.0% — a supplementary feed added to a complete ration. The complete breakdown lives on the Höveler Pur.Muskel 44 lb bag page.

Work out your horse's exact rate with the feeding calculator.

What an owner said

"Noticeable difference in stamina" — Jessica, March 14, 2019 (4/10). Quality 4, Value 5, Price 4.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pur.Muskel safe for a sensitive stomach?

It is formulated to be gentle on the stomach, with starch at just 5.8% and sugar at 4.1%. As a supplementary feed it is added in small amounts to a complete ration, which keeps each meal simple to manage.

How much do I feed a sensitive horse?

Start at the light-work rate: 0.07–0.11 lb (30–50 g) per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight daily. That is a narrow gram range — a 1,000 lb horse needs just 50–80 g even in medium work.

Does it contain alfalfa?

No. Pur.Muskel is alfalfa-free. Its protein is supplied by soy flakes, pea flakes, and sweet lupine flakes in their place.

Can I use it at shows?

Yes. It is competition safe and FEI-compliant. Keeping the ration the same on show days is among the kindest things you can do for a gut-sensitive horse.

What if it does not suit my horse?

Bifid offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, and the 24/7 licensed vet team can help you review the full ration before you commit.