When a horse returns to work after a quieter period, its fitness, muscle tone and nutritional needs should be rebuilt progressively. The answer is not always to increase hard feed immediately: a good doer may work harder while maintaining weight easily, whereas another horse may need more calories to hold condition.The Pure Feed Company range makes it possible to move between different energy levels while keeping a broadly fibre-led approach. The right choice depends on body condition, temperament, workload and foragenot the calendar alone.Increase work before you automatically increase caloriesBegin with a gradual exercise plan and monitor recovery, breathing, sweating, soreness and body condition. Our guide to bringing horses back into work covers the fitness side in more detail.Review the feed when: the horse begins to lose or gain unwanted weight; work changes from occasional hacking to regular schooling or competition; the horse lacks suitable energy for its work; topline is not improving despite appropriate training and health checks; or the current portion is too small to provide the intended vitamin and mineral intake.Pure Easy: for good doers and lighter workPure Feed Company Pure Easy is the lowest-energy bucket feed in this comparison at 8.5MJ/kg. It contains 33% fibre, 5% oil, 6% starch and 4% naturally occurring sugar.It suits horses that need a fortified, high-fibre feed but do not need many additional calories. That can include good doers, excitable horses and horses beginning light work. The current feeding rate is 400600g per 100kg bodyweight per day, adjusted for body condition and workload.Pure Working: for regular work and controlled conditionPure Feed Company Pure Working steps up to 10MJ/kg, with 34% fibre, 8% oil, 4% starch and 6% naturally occurring sugar. Its energy comes mainly from fibre and oil rather than wholegrain cereals.Pure Working is the logical middle option for horses in regular work, or for a horse that needs more help with condition and topline without moving straight to a cereal-based performance feed.Pure Condition Mix: when weight and condition are harder to maintainPure Feed Company Pure Condition Mix provides 11MJ/kg and 12.6% oil, with 23% fibre, 2% starch and 7% naturally occurring sugar. It is formulated to deliver more slow-release calories for horses that need to gain or maintain condition.This is not simply a feed for every horse doing more work. Choose it when the horses body condition and total ration show that extra calories are genuinely required.Pure Performance: for horses that need fast- and slow-release energyPure Feed Company Pure Performance is the highest-energy option here at 12MJ/kg. It combines oil with bruised oats and contains 23% starch, 21% fibre, 8% oil and 4% naturally occurring sugar.It is designed for horses needing greater power and stamina in more demanding work. Because it contains oats and considerably more starch than the other options, it should be selected for a clear performance need rather than used as a routine step up. Pure Feed does not position Pure Performance as suitable for laminitis-prone horses.Protein supports musclebut training creates the stimulusMuscle development requires an appropriate training programme, enough total energy and quality protein. The Pure Feed options above include lysine and methionine within their fortified formulations. More feed will not build topline if pain, poor saddle fit, dental disease, parasites or an unsuitable exercise plan are limiting the horse.Where Pure ReFuel fitsPure Feed ReFuel is a separate hydration and recovery mash rather than the horses base ration. It is fed in a 500g serving soaked with two parts water to one part feed and supplies electrolytes, the amino acids lysine, methionine and threonine, plus vitamins C and E and selenium.It may be useful after significant sweating, harder sessions, competition or travel. Read our guide to Pure ReFuel for hydration and recovery for a closer look.Quick comparison FeedDigestible energyBest starting point for Pure Easy8.5MJ/kgGood doers, lighter work and horses needing few extra calories Pure Working10MJ/kgRegular work and controlled support for condition Pure Condition Mix11MJ/kgHorses that need more slow-release calories Pure Performance12MJ/kgDemanding work requiring both fast- and slow-release energy Introduce any change over at least seven days, divide the daily ration between meals, keep forage at the centre of the diet and follow the current bag instructions. If the horse has a history of laminitis, ulcers, tying-up or another clinical condition, ask your vet or an independent equine nutritionist to assess the whole ration.