The first item is the feed we'd actually reach for. The rest are the honest buying criteria we would walk any owner through, whether they buy from us or not.
No cereal grains on the ingredient list — Höveler Pur.Muskel
The only way to confirm a feed is grain-free is to read the ingredient list, and this is where Höveler Pur.Muskel, a genuinely grain free horse feed, delivers. It is built on meadow lyegrass, soy flakes, flaxseed, sweet lupine flakes, sunflower extraction meal, pea flakes, sunflower seed, apple pomace, and linseed oil — with no barley, corn, oats, or wheat anywhere in the mix. It is also alfalfa-free.
The numbers back up the ingredient claim: starch sits at just 5.8% and sugar at 4.1%, while it still supplies 20% crude protein, 14.1 MJ of digestible energy per kg, and 15% fat for energy that comes from oil rather than starch.
Who this is for: owners of metabolically sensitive horses who want to add muscle-supporting protein and amino acids without a grain-based starch load. Because it carries no added vitamins or minerals, it is a supplementary feed — fed alongside a balanced base ration — which also lets you control total vitamin and mineral intake yourself. Price: $52.99 per 44 lb bag.
A lower-grain alternative when you need working energy — Höveler Original Sport
Not every horse needs to be fully grain-free — some just need less grain and less starch. If that is your horse, Höveler Original Sport is worth a look. To be accurate: it is not a fully grain-free feed, because it includes hydrothermally processed cereal flakes. But it pairs those with grain-free components and holds starch to just 15% and sugar to 4.6%, while supplying 12.6 MJ of digestible energy per kg and 15.1% crude protein.
It also adds an inactivated Diamond V yeast with postbiotic properties to support the gut, plus high vitamin E and amino acids (lysine and threonine both at 1.0%).
Who this is for: sport and leisure horses in regular work whose owners want reduced starch and working energy but do not require a strictly grain-free ration. It is soy-free and competition-safe. Price: $49.99 per 44 lb bag.
A low starch percentage to match the grain-free claim
A grain-free feed should also be low in starch — but confirm it. Look for the starch figure on the label and treat anything genuinely low (Pur.Muskel's 5.8% is a good benchmark) as reassuring.
The benefit: you get the digestive comfort you are paying for, not just a marketing word on the front of the bag.
Low sugar alongside the low starch
Starch and sugar together make up the non-structural carbohydrates that matter most for sensitive horses. A feed that is grain-free but sweetened heavily with molasses is not serving the same goal. Pur.Muskel keeps sugar to 4.1%.
Who this is for: owners managing horses that need both starch and sugar kept in check.
Energy from fiber and oil, not cereal
If the grain is gone, the calories have to come from somewhere. The best grain-free feeds lean on oil and highly digestible fiber. Pur.Muskel's notably high 15% fat, built on flaxseed and linseed oil, is a clear example.
The benefit: steady, "cool" energy that holds condition without the fizz of a grain-based feed.
Quality protein with named amino acids
Grain-free should not mean protein-poor. Check that the feed names its key amino acids. Pur.Muskel is built around an amino acid profile — lysine 0.85%, methionine 0.25%, threonine 0.6% — with 20% crude protein and digestible crude protein of 160 g/kg.
Who this is for: owners who want the protein they buy to actually support muscle rather than just inflate the analysis.
Freedom from other ingredients your horse reacts to
Owners choosing grain-free are often managing other sensitivities too. Pur.Muskel is alfalfa-free, which suits horses that react to alfalfa. Be aware it does contain soy flakes, so if you need strictly soy-free as well, that is a separate check.
The benefit: you can match the feed to your horse's specific sensitivities rather than settling for a one-size-fits-all bag.
Feeding flexibility for a customized ration
Because Pur.Muskel has no added vitamins or minerals, you decide the rest of the ration — which is a feature, not a gap, for owners already running a balanced base feed or working with a nutritionist.
Who this is for: owners who want targeted grain-free protein without doubling up on vitamins and minerals they are already providing.
Clear feeding rates by work level
A grain-free feed still needs feeding to a plan. Look for guidance by body weight and work level. Pur.Muskel gives per-100 kg (220 lb) daily rates that we have set out in the feeding table below.
The benefit: you can integrate it precisely into the diet instead of guessing.
A trusted maker with real support
Finally, consider who makes the feed. Höveler has produced horse feed since 1905 — over 120 years of expertise — made in Germany, and sold in the US through bifid with a 24/7 licensed vet team, a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, and a store rated 9.0/10 across 24,098 reviews.
The benefit: when you have a question about feeding grain-free, there is a real team to answer it — European craft, American service.