Höveler Western Sport: 9 Facts About Its Sunflower Oil and Linseed Oil Energy

Quick answer: Höveler Western Sport is a low-grain, high-energy muesli for medium to intensively trained western horses, with sunflower oil and linseed oil both declared inside a 6.10% crude-fat profile and 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy. It is oat-free and costs $37.99 per 44 lb bag. Best for horses that need dense, grain-lean energy. Last checked: September 2026.

Oil is the backbone of modern performance feeding, and Western Sport names two oils in its declaration rather than a vague fat source. Nine facts on what the sunflower oil, linseed oil, and the 6.10% crude fat figure can do for a western horse in training.

1. Two oils are named in the ingredient list

Sunflower oil and linseed oil both show up in the declaration printed on the Höveler Western Sport 44 lb bag. Naming oils matters because "vegetable oil" on a panel tells you nothing; here you know the fat fraction comes from named, standard equine-feed sources.

Who this is for: owners who want to see exactly what they are paying for.

2. The whole fat fraction is measured at 6.10%

Crude fat reads at exactly 6.10%. The oils sit alongside sunflower extraction meal feed and linseed cake to make up that figure — grain-free hay alternatives a moderate level formulated to support energy density and condition while the feed stays a low-grain muesli with starch at 18.30%.

The benefit: a fat level you can work your supplementation around, printed to two decimals.

3. Oil energy lets the feed hit 12.19 MJ/kg without more grain

Digestible energy of 12.19 MJ/kg and convertible energy of 11.21 MJ/kg are the lead numbers. In a low-grain design, the 6.10% crude fat is one of the levers that gets to those figures without loading the ration with more cereal.

Who this is for: horses that need serious output but hold their composure on low-grain formulas.

4. The oil fraction supports coat condition you can photograph

Oils in the daily ration are the established route to coat shine. At 6.10% crude fat from declared sunflower oil and linseed oil, Western Sport is formulated to support coat and body condition through the ration itself — relevant when show season brings photographs.

The benefit: condition support that arrives with every meal, not as a separate topper.

5. Oil works with protein, not instead of it

Energy density only works if the horse can build with it. The feed carries 28% alfalfa for muscle development, 14.0% crude protein, and 107 g/kg digestible crude protein. Oil provides the calories; the protein package supplies the material.

Who this is for: owners building topline and muscle on horses in medium to intensive training.

6. Oat-free by design, oils by design

Western Sport is an oat-free formula that suits oat-sensitive horses. That makes the oil fraction even more important, not less: with oats absent, calories come from barley flakes, corn flakes, the extraction meals, and the declared oils.

The benefit: a full energy program that never routes through oats.

7. Sugar stays low while fat does the caloric work

Sugar reads 5.30%. For owners watching sugar while still needing energy, the breakdown is telling — 5.30% sugar against 6.10% crude fat and 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy. The feed gets its calories from fat and controlled starch rather than sweetness.

Who this is for: owners who watch the sugar line on the panel as carefully as the energy line.

8. The formulation is backed by declared micronutrition

Fats in the ration are best supported by antioxidants in the same feed. Per kg, Western Sport includes Vitamin E 260 mg and selenium 0.25 mg along with 0.25 mg selenium yeast, with biotin 1,185 µg also listed — a package Höveler has refined over 120 years of expertise, after making horse feed since 1905.

The benefit: the micronutrients a fat-supplemented ration needs, already inside the bag.

9. It is competition-safe and FEI-compliant

Western Sport is competition-safe and FEI-compliant (confirm rules with your event organizer). An oil-supported, oat-free muesli that is competition-legal means no feeding strategy changes the week before a big event.

Who this is for: competitors who need the ration locked in before the trailer loads.

How to feed it

Feeding rates per 220 lb (100 kg) of body weight per day:

Work levelDaily rate Light work0.55 lb (250 g) Medium work0.88 lb (400 g) Heavy workNot listed — adjust to condition and training intensity

The page gives no heavy-work rate; tune the amount to condition and training intensity, and keep adequate forage alongside.

Key specs at a glance: 6.10% crude fat, 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy, 14.0% protein, 18.30% starch, 5.30% sugar, oat-free, with sunflower oil and linseed oil declared.

To calculate the daily amount, use the feeding calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Which oils are in Western Sport?

Sunflower oil and linseed oil, both declared in the ingredient list. Alongside the extraction meals and linseed cake they build the feed's 6.10% crude fat.

Is 6.10% fat enough for a hard-working horse?

It is a middle-of-the-road, formulated level behind 12.19 MJ/kg digestible energy. For horses in heavy work, the page advises to adjust the performance horse feed rate to condition and training intensity — no heavy-work figure is published.

Will the oils make my horse hot?

Oil is a quieter energy source than large grain loads, and this feed is low-grain with starch at 18.30% and sugar at 5.30%. Individual responses vary, so begin at the work-matched rate and observe.

Does the fat support coat shine?

Oils in the daily ration are formulated to support coat and body condition. The declared 6.10% crude fat is the figure under that.

Is it legal for competition?

Yes — competition-safe and FEI-compliant. Verify specific rules with your event organizer.