Freiberger

{{Short description|Swiss breed of horse}} {{About|the breed of horse|people with the surname Freiberger|Freiberger (surname)}} {{Infobox horse breed | name = Freiberger | image = Swiss national stud farm Avenches-IMG 8518 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | image_alt = a chestnut horse with four white socks at the trot | image_caption = | image2 = Adelboden Freiberger.jpg | image_size2 = | image_alt2 = | image_caption2 = | status = {{ubl|FAO (2007): not at risk{{r|barb|p=139}}|DAD-IS (2023): at risk/endangered-maintained{{r|dad}}}} | altname = {{ubl|Franches-Montagnes|Franc-Montagnard|Cheval du Jura|Jura}} | country = Switzerland | distribution = {{hlist|Switzerland|Belgium{{r|dad3}}|France{{r|dad2}}}} | use = {{hlist|driving|riding}} | colour = usually bay, less often chestnut; rarely other colours{{r|elise|p=202}} | height = 147–155 cm{{r|dad}} | weight = 550–650 kg{{r|dad}} | note = | std1 = https://www.rrfb.ch/images/pdf/Zuchtprogramm_Urfreiberger_Titel_II.pdf | group1 = Schweizerischer Freibergerverband (in German) }}

The '''Freiberger''' or '''Franches-Montagnes''' is a Swiss breed of horse of light draught type. It originates in the Canton of Jura in north-western Switzerland, and is named for the Freiberge or Franches-Montagnes District in the south of that canton. It is widely distributed in Switzerland, and is also present in France and Belgium.

It was formerly used principally as a farm horse or by the Swiss army; it is now used mainly for driving and riding. The {{lang|fr|Marché Concours|i=no}} is an annual fair for the breed held in Saignelégier, capital of the Franches-Montagnes District.

== Characteristics ==

The Freiberger is variable in type, from a riding horse to a light draught horse conformation.{{r|cabi|p=467}} Mares average {{val|550|u=kg}} in weight and {{val|147|u=cm}} in height at the withers; the average height and weight for stallions and geldings are {{val|155|u=cm}} and {{val|650|u=kg}}.{{r|dad}} The usual coat colours are bay and chestnut, with only minimal white markings.{{r|cabi|p=467}}

== History ==

[[File:Der dreijährige Hengst Farand - CH-BAR - 3239951.tif|thumb|Farand, a stallion at the Marché-Concours des Chevaux in Saignelégier (1910s)]] thumb|Stallions at the Marché-Concours des Chevaux of Saignelégier, 2004 The Freiberger originates in the historic Jura region of Switzerland; use of horses in agricultural work and as post-horses is documented there from about 1620.{{r|isa|p=23|fm2}}

By the early nineteenth century, there were active breeders in the district of Franches-Montagnes. In 1817, there were {{val|4,000}} breeding mares. The horses were bred for use in agriculture and by the army as pack animals and artillery horses. There were imports of Anglo-Normans in 1821, and of Hanoverian, Oldenburger and other horses from England and France in 1830, all with the aim of correcting the perceived faults of the native breed – a heavy head, a short neck and a sloping croup – although its overall build was considered good.{{r|jobin|p=25|duerst|p2=64}}

The name Freiberger appeared in the late nineteenth century, used for the three types of horse previously named after the districts of Franches-Montagnes, Porrentruy, and Delémont. These types were called "cheval de Jura" and later "Franches-Montagnes" regardless of the district from which they originated. They had also been known as the ''race welsche''.{{r|poncet|p=30}}

Until the early twentieth century there were named sub-types, such as the Anglo-Jura – with Thoroughbred blood - and the Normand-Jura, with some Anglo-Norman ancestry. It was only in the late twentieth century that the name (Cheval des) Franches-Montagnes became official.{{r|poncet|p=33}} The {{lang|fr|Marché-Concours des Chevaux|i=no}} in Saignelégier, a combined show, race and market dedicated to the breed, has been held annually since 1897.{{r|marche}}

Some cross-breeding with imported Swedish Warmblood stock took place in the 1960s.{{r|cabi|p=467}}

A stud-book was established in 1960.{{r|blw|p=15}} It was closed to any external admixture in 1997.{{r|pro}} In the same year a breed association, the Schweizerischer Freibergerverband or Fédération suisse d’élevage du cheval de la race des Franches-Montagnes, was established.{{r|fm}}

Although the Freiberger breed is not at risk, with an estimated total population in 2017 of about {{val|30000}}, of which approximately {{val|25000}} were in Switzerland, the original type – those with 2% or less of foreign blood – is endangered.{{r|elise|p=202|save2|p2=299}} An interest group for the preservation of this stock was formed in 1996 as the {{lang|de|Interessengemeinschaft zur Erhaltung des Original Freiberger Pferdes|i=no}} or {{lang|fr|Communauté d’intérêt pour le maintien du cheval originel des Franches-Montagnes|i=no}}.{{r|int}} In 1999 the total number of such horses was decreasing rapidly, with a remaining stock of about 300 mares and 30 stallions.{{r|save2|p=299}} In 2003 a conservation programme for the original type was established by the interest group, in collaboration with ProSpecieRara and with the Swiss National Stud Farm at Avenches.{{r|cabi|p=467|pro|int}}

== Use ==

The traditional uses were as a draught horse for agricultural work, or as a military horse, either as a saddle horse or as a pack animal.{{r|cabi|p=467}} In the twenty-first century it is used both as a riding mount and for driving.{{r|cabi|p=467}}

== References ==

<ref name=barb>Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200623201209/http://www.fao.org/3/a1250e/annexes/List%20of%20breeds%20documented%20in%20the%20Global%20Databank%20for%20Animal%20Genetic%20Resources/List_breeds.pdf List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources], annex to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170110125634/http://www.fao.org/3/a-a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{isbn|9789251057629}}. Archived 23 June 2020.</ref>

<ref name=blw>[https://www.blw.admin.ch/dam/blw/de/dokumente/Nachhaltige%20Produktion/Tierische%20Produkte%20und%20Tierzucht/Tierzucht%20und%20tiergenetische%20Ressourcen/borschueretiergenetischeressourcen.pdf.download.pdf/Broschüre%20Tiergenetische%20Ressourcen%20der%20Schweizer%20Landwirtschaft.pdf Tiergenetische Ressourcen der Schweizer Landwirtschaft] (in German). Bern: Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft. Accessed February 2022.</ref>

<ref name=cabi>Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). [https://books.google.it/books?id=2UEJDAAAQBAJ&hl=en ''Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding''] (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. {{isbn|9781780647944}}.</ref>

<ref name=dad>[https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ext-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=CHE&specie=Horse&breed=Franches-Montagnes&lang=en Breed data sheet: Franches-Montagnes / Switzerland (Horse)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed March 2023.</ref>

<ref name=dad2>[https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ext-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=FRA&specie=Horse&breed=Franches-Montagnes&lang=en Breed data sheet: Franches-Montagnes / France (Horse)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed March 2023.</ref>

<ref name=dad3>[https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ext-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=BEL&specie=Horse&breed=Franches-Montagnes&lang=en Breed data sheet: Franches-Montagnes / Belgium (Horse)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed March 2023.</ref>

<ref name=duerst>Johan Ulrich Duerst (1924). [https://books.google.it/books?id=MffUHAAACAAJ&hl=en ''Kulturhistorische Studien Zur schweizerischen Pferdezucht''] (in German). Bern: Verlag der Schweizerischen Landwirtschaftlichen Monatshefte, Benteli AG.</ref>

<ref name=elise>Élise Rousseau, Yann Le Bris, Teresa Lavender Fagan (2017). [https://books.google.it/books?id=Eus9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA176&hl=en ''Horses of the World'']. Princeton: Princeton University Press. {{isbn|9780691167206}}.</ref>

<ref name=fm>[http://www.fm-ch.ch/fr/federation.html Fédération] (in French). Avenches: Fédération Suisse du Franches-Montagnes. Accessed April 2023.</ref>

<ref name=fm2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220129082402/http://www.fm-ch.ch/fr/portrait-de-la-race/historique.html Historique] (in French). Avenches: Fédération Suisse du Franches-Montagnes. Archived 29 January 2022.</ref>

<ref name=int>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220812172223/http://www.originalfreiberger.ch/rasse_d.html Das Original Freiberger Pferd] (in German). Interessengemeinschaft zur Erhaltung des Original Freiberger Pferdes. Archived 12 August 2022.</ref>

<ref name=isa>Isabelle Reviriaud (2002). [https://books.google.it/books?id=CW50tgAACAAJ&hl=en ''Le cheval Franches-Montagnes: Thèse pour obtenir le grade de docteur vétérinaire, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse''] (doctoral thesis, in French).</ref>

<ref name=jobin>Louis Jobin (1925). [https://books.google.it/books?id=L3VBNAAACAAJ&hl=en ''Le Cheval du Jura''] (dissertation, in French). La Chaux-de-Fonds: W. Graden.</ref>

<ref name=marche>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220331005812/http://www.marcheconcours.ch/fr/home/histoire/106-origines Histoire] (in French). Saignelégier: Marché-Concours National de Chevaux. Archived 31 March 2022.</ref>

<ref name=poncet>Pierre-André Poncet, Vincent Wermeille (2009). [https://books.google.it/books?id=SHXMSAAACAAJ&hl=en ''Le Cheval des Franches-Montagnes à travers l'histoire''] (in French). Porrentruy: Société jurassienne d'émulation. {{isbn|9782940043408}}.</ref>

<ref name=pro>[https://www.prospecierara.ch/fr/animaux/portraits-de-races/pferdeportraets/cheval-originel-des-franches-montagnes.html Cheval originel des Franches-Montagnes] (in French). ProSpecieRara Suisse Romande. Accessed March 2023.</ref>

<ref name=save2>[Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe] (2003). [https://web.archive.org/web/20220524150902/https://www.save-foundation.net/images/projekte/alpen/monitoring-2003-en.pdf ''Agricultural Genetic Resources in the Alps; Landwirtschaftliche Genressourcen der Alpen; Ressources génétiques agricoles des Alpes; Risorse genetiche agricole delle Alpi; Kmetijski genetski viri v Alpha'']. Zürich: Bristol-Stiftung; Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt. {{isbn|3258066698}}. Archived 24 May 2022.</ref>

</references>

== External links == {{commonscat}} * [https://www.fm-ch.ch/de Schweizerischer Freibergerverband] (Swiss Freiberger Association, in German)

{{Horse breeds of Switzerland}} Category:Horse breeds Category:Horse breeds originating in Switzerland