Why ground flax?

I see a lot of people here add flax to their horses feed to improve the coat. It seems everyone recommends ground flax- just wondering why? Is there something wrong with feeding it whole, or does it just pass right through them? Surely they must grind SOME of it with their teeth. Flax seed is super cheap and I'm super lazy ha-ha!

Gound flax can be rather pricey. I soak mine overnight so the seeds plump up. The water will look like snot but just add the whole works to senior's pellets and the horses lap it up, looking for more. I may also add 1/4 cup of veg. Oil. I have rehabbed a couple of horses and usually see improvement within 30 days. Eventually the hoof becomes more elastic. I fed 2 lbs of Senior's 2x daily. It too contains beneficial oils and can be fed very safely to any horse 5 and up.

The theory is that you do not get the full benefit of the oils in the flax because the horse does not digest the seed in a way that breaks open the shell. The seeds just pass through.

I have a cheap coffee grinder at the barn, and buy the whole flax and grind it up myself. You have to be careful with ground flax seed anyway, because it goes bad fairly quickly. Grinding it yourself ensures it's fresh, and the omega-3 fatty acids not only make the coat beautiful, but improve muscle performance as well.