High levels of vitamin E can be important for active horses, or those experiencing illness or injury. Powerful antioxidant supports a healthy immune system, supports normal body function and helps neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can quickly damage healthy cells in the body and begin a chain reaction where more and more damage occurs in a cascading effect. While normal body functions create free radicals, there are other factors that can greatly increase free radical production. For horses, these main areas of concern are exercise/competition, pregnancy, stress, illness, inflammation and aging. The greatest need for antioxidants is in performance horses that constantly deal with inflammation from minor sprains and strains (or at times more serious injuries), stress and the demands of exercise.