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 turned away from its bucket after a trailer ride or walked away from a full net, you know the worry: every bucket decision suddenly counts. Stomach-sensitive horses need energy and protein delivered in a form that doesn't 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 one figure most stomach-sensitive horses cannot handle in bulk. Pur.Muskel keeps starch at 5.8%, keeping the concentrate part of the ration gentle for the digestive system.

Who this is for: horses that turn sour, go off feed, or get loose manure on starchier mixes.

2. Low sugar at 4.1%

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

The benefit: a quieter ration without sacrificing calories.

3. Fiber-forward: 18.7% crude fiber

Pur.Muskel provides 18.7% crude fiber, built on meadow lyegrass and the other forage-style ingredients in the mix. Fiber is the energy source the equine gut was built on.

Who this is for: owners swapping out a grain-heavy concentrate with something more like 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 suits metabolically sensitive breeds. That counts because muscle https://performance-horsesdbns573.unionquill.com/posts/hoveler-pur.muskel-9-things-doing-the-amino-acid-work-instead-of-live-yeast 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 with ease.

Who this is for: horses that do better with several small feeds than one large 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 do not create the acidity spikes starchy feeds tend to.

The benefit: condition and energy free of gut stress.

7. Alfalfa-free formulation

Pur.Muskel is alfalfa-free, which counts for owners who manage calcium balance or know full well their horse does better without it. The protein is supplied 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 slots into a custom feeding plan without doubling up on anything the horse already gets. For a touchy horse, that predictability counts.

The benefit: you manage every input, so nothing surprises the gut.

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 build 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 register every change.

How to feed it

Pur.Muskel is a supplementary feed added to 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 small these gram ranges are: a 1,000 lb horse in medium work gets just 50–80 g daily. Split it into small meals if your horse prefers them, 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 designed 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 helps keep each meal easy 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 small gram range — a 1,000 lb horse needs only 50–80 g even in medium work.

Does it contain alfalfa?

No. Pur.Muskel is alfalfa-free. Its protein comes from soy flakes, pea flakes, and sweet lupine flakes instead.

Can I use it at shows?

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

What if it does not suit my horse?

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