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71-588: It was formerly used principally as a farm horse or by the Swiss army ; it is now used mainly for driving and riding . The Marché Concours is an annual fair for the breed held in Saignelégier , capital of the Franches-Montagnes District. 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. By

142-670: A neutral country , Switzerland's Armed Forces do not take part in armed conflicts in other countries. However, over the years, the Swiss Armed Forces have been part of several peacekeeping missions around the world. From 1996 to 2001, the Swiss Armed Forces were present in Bosnia and Herzegovina with headquarters in Sarajevo . Their mission, as part of the Swiss Peacekeeping Missions, was to provide logistic and medical support to

213-565: A search and rescue role. During the Second World War Switzerland fielded the Type 41 class of patrol boats, armed with the 24 mm Type 41 anti-tank rifle —not a personal weapon at 74 kg (163 lb), and later replaced by a 20mm auto-cannon—and machine guns. Nine units were commissioned between 1941 and 1944. These boats were upgraded in 1964, notably receiving radars, radios and modern armament, and were kept in service into

284-401: A wagon , carriage , cart , sleigh , or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way. It encompasses a wide range of activities from pleasure driving, to harness racing , to farm work, horse shows , and even international combined driving . For horse training purposes, "driving" may also include the practice of long-lining ( long reining ), wherein

355-455: A yoke around their necks, in a manner similar to that of oxen . By the time of the Hyksos invasions of Egypt , c. 1600 BC, horses were pulling chariots with an improved harness design that made use of a breast collar and breeching, which allowed a horse to move faster and pull more weight. The breastcollar style harness is still used today for pulling lightweight vehicles. Even after

426-507: A 3% additional annual income tax until the age of 37 unless they are affected by a disability . Conscripts found to be sufficiently unfit for regular military service, but not for exemption, take part in civil protection , where they may be called on to assist the police, fire or health departments, as well as natural disaster relief and crowd control during demonstrations or events with large attendance. Almost 20% of all conscripts were found unfit for military or civilian service in 2008;

497-504: A combined show , race and market dedicated to the breed, has been held annually since 1897. Some cross-breeding with imported Swedish Warmblood stock took place in the 1960s. A stud-book was established in 1960. It was closed to any external admixture in 1997. In the same year a breed association , the Schweizerischer Freibergerverband or Fédération suisse d’élevage du cheval de la race des Franches-Montagnes,

568-419: A force of some 33,000 men. The cantonal armies were converted into the federal army ( Bundesheer ) with the constitution of 1848. From this time, it was illegal for the individual cantons to declare war or to sign capitulations or peace agreements. Paragraph 13 explicitly prohibited the federation from sustaining a standing army , and the cantons were allowed a maximum standing force of 300 each (not including

639-403: A horse is driven without a cart by a handler walking behind or behind and to the side of the animal. This technique is used in the early stages of training horses for riding as well as for driving. Horses, mules and donkeys are driven in harness in many different ways. For working purposes, they can pull a plow or other farm equipment designed to be pulled by animals. In many parts of

710-491: A march covering 100 kilometres (62 mi) in 24 hours. After promotion to lieutenant, platoon leaders return to their recruit schools, where they take charge of a recruit school platoon for 18 weeks. There were about 15,000 officers and 29,000 NCOs in the Swiss Armed Forces in 2021. Those of higher rank serve for longer each year; a private may serve 365 days over 30 years, while a high-ranking officer may serve 2,000 days before retiring. Each promotion requires more time, which

781-450: A volunteer. During this time, Jews were not considered to be Swiss citizens. Following the introduction of Jewish corporations in 1813, they were given separate documentation for military enlistment. A special rule in 1816 demanded that the Jews should pay an equipment contribution of 1000 francs per year (400 francs in 1808). From 1852 onwards, Jews served in the army like other Swiss citizens, and

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852-439: Is a team hitched in a single row of three: the center horse in shafts and each of the other two hitched on either side. A tandem hitch has one rear animal in shafts, then one or more others hitched ahead of the first in single file. Larger teams are usually in pairs, with four, six or even more animals overall; driving these is known as driving four-in-hand , six-in-hand etc. Sometimes other arrangements are used, such as

923-535: Is known as "paying your rank". This describes the mechanism of a soldier fulfilling their rank's minimal service time after being promoted into said rank. Companies subsidize military training by continuing to pay their employees, who list their ranks and responsibilities on their résumés. In January 2023, the Swiss Armed Forces began integrating Muslim and Jewish chaplains into the service. The army's chaplaincy had only been open to Catholics and Protestants until then. New insignia have been created for military jackets:

994-546: The CIA in Central and Eastern Europe . The Swiss government did not officially confirm the existence of the report, but started a judiciary procedure for leakage of secret documents against the newspaper on 9 January 2006. The maritime branch of the Army maintains a flotilla of military patrol boats to secure several sizeable lakes that span Switzerland's borders. These boats also serve in

1065-605: The Federal Assembly elects a full General ( OF-9 ) as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces ( Oberbefehlshaber der Armee ). The rank is distinct and particular, as it is associated exclusively with wartime fighting or a national crisis due to war among Switzerland's neighbouring countries. Under the " Armee 61 " structure, the Army was organised into Field Army Corps 1 , 2 , and 4, and Mountain Army Corps 3. This structure

1136-634: The Islamic crescent for Muslims and the Tablets of Stone for Jews. Switzerland has mandatory military service for all able-bodied male citizens , who are conscripted when they reach the age of majority , though women may volunteer for any position. Since 1996, conscripts who are found to be sufficiently fit for regular military service, but who object for reasons of conscience, can apply for civilian service . This service consists of various kinds of social services, such as reconstructing cultural sites, helping

1207-550: The Landjäger corps, a kind of police force). Paragraph 18 declared the "obligation" of every Swiss citizen to serve in the federal army if conscripted ( Wehrpflicht ), setting its size at 3% of the population plus a reserve of one and one half that number, amounting to a total force of some 80,000. The first complete mobilization , under the command of Hans Herzog , was triggered by the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. In 1875,

1278-559: The Onyx intelligence gathering system, similar to but much smaller than the international Echelon system. The Onyx system was launched in 2000 in order to monitor both civil and military communications, such as telephone , fax or Internet traffic carried by satellite . It was completed in late 2005 and currently consists of three interception sites, all based in Switzerland. In a way similar to Echelon, Onyx uses lists of keywords to filter

1349-526: The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), protection duties and humanitarian demining. The mission was named SHQSU, standing for Swiss Headquarters Support Unit to BiH. It was composed of 50 to 55 elite Swiss soldiers under contract for six to 12 months. None of the active soldiers were armed during the duration of the mission. The Swiss soldiers were recognised among the other armies present on

1420-592: The Patrouillenboot 80's successor, to the flotilla and these boats's manufacturer designation as Watercat 1250 Patrol; all ships of this class will be named for astronomical objects . The prime role of the Swiss Armed Forces is homeland defence. Switzerland is not part of any multinational war-fighting structure, but selected armed forces members and units do take part in international missions. After World War II, Switzerland began building homes with 40 cm-thick concrete ceilings that might survive firebombing of

1491-400: The military and security force of Switzerland , consisting of land and air service branches. Under the country's militia system, regular soldiers constitute a small part of the military and the rest are conscripts or volunteers aged 19 to 34 (in some cases up to 50). Because of Switzerland's long history of neutrality , the Swiss Armed Forces have not been involved in foreign wars since

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1562-643: The withers ; the average height and weight for stallions and geldings are 155 cm and 650 kg . The usual coat colours are bay and chestnut , with only minimal white markings . 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 . In the twenty-first century it is used both as a riding mount and for driving . Swiss army The Swiss Armed Forces ( German : Schweizer Armee ; French : Armée suisse ; Italian : Esercito svizzero ; Romansh : Armada svizra ; lit.   ' Swiss Army ' ) are

1633-429: The "unicorn" (one animal in front of a pair), and the "pickaxe" (three animals in front of a pair). Teams larger than six are generally limited to situations where large loads must be hauled over difficult ground. For example, eight- ox plowing teams were once common on the heavy soils of southern England , as were very large ox teams used in 19th century South Africa (see ox-wagon ). Twenty-mule teams were used in

1704-433: The 18-week duration of the recruit school, with the exception of those who volunteer for officer school—they leave after 7 weeks of service as squad leaders—while those who volunteer for higher NCO school leave after 12 weeks of service as squad leaders. Officer candidates complete a 15-week course to prepare them for their role as platoon leaders ( Zugführer , Chef de section , Caposezione ), which traditionally culminates in

1775-507: The 1980s, the last being decommissioned in late 1983. The force utilises later the Aquarius -class ( Patrouillenboot 80) riverine patrol boats , which are operated by Motorboat Company 10 of the Corps of Engineers and which patrol lakes Geneva , Lucerne , Lugano , Maggiore and Constance . In June 2019 Finnish shipbuilder Marine Alutech delivered the first four of 14 Patrouillenboot 16,

1846-494: The 20th century rising further to some 1.5 million, the second largest armed force per capita after the Israel Defense Forces . Prior to the revised constitution, Jews in Switzerland were excluded from the army, with various exceptions and special conditions through the years. In 1808, the laws of mandatory military service were particularly strict for Jews , who, unlike Christians , could not opt to be replaced by

1917-498: The Armed Forces ), of which 9,163 are professionals, with the rest being conscripts or volunteers. Women, for whom military service is voluntary, numbered 929: less than 1% of the total, with over 25% thereof being officers. The numbers had increased by 2021. Once in service, women have the same rights and duties as their male colleagues, and they can join all services, including combat units. Recruits in multi-lingual Switzerland are usually instructed in their native language, except that

1988-545: The Army in 1996, the Air Force has been downsizing; it now has a strength of approximately 270 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and is moving towards a smaller, more professional force. The primary front-line air-defence fleet consists of 30 F/A-18 Hornets (34 aircraft were originally purchased, with three F/A-18D and one F/A-18C lost in crashes) organized into three squadrons (11, 17 and 18) along with 53 F-5 Tiger IIs (98 F-5E and 12 F-5F originally purchased). In October 2008,

2059-532: The Army with the cantons by co-ordinating territorial tasks inside their sector and are immediately responsible for the security of their regions, depending only on the decisions of the Federal Council . The Swiss Air Force has been traditionally a militia-based service, including its pilots, with an inventory of approximately 456 aircraft whose lengthy service lives (many for more than 30 years) overlapped several eras. However, beginning with its separation from

2130-514: The Assembly voted to increase spending by 1.4 billion Swiss francs by 2030, or at least 1% of the country's GDP. The government planned to spend up to 50 billion Swiss francs on defense through the early 2030s. In 2024, the Armed Forces was projected to face significant funding shortfalls. As of 1 March 2017, the Swiss Armed Forces consist of 120,496 people on active duty (in Switzerland called Angehöriger der Armee , shortly AdA , engl.: Member of

2201-737: The Cold War the military expected that any invasion would likely come from the northeast, as the Soviet Union associated the country with NATO despite its stated neutrality. The Swiss government thought that the aim of an invasion would be to control the economically important transport routes through the Swiss Alps , namely the Gotthard , the Simplon and Great St. Bernard passes, because Switzerland does not possess any significant natural resources. Operating from

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2272-576: The Swiss Air Force gained two operational fighter jets ready to scramble 24/7. The difficulty of defending Swiss airspace is illustrated by the mountainous character and the small size of the country; the maximum extension of Switzerland is 348 km, a distance that can be flown in a little over 20 minutes by commercial aircraft. Furthermore, Switzerland's policy of neutrality means that they are unlikely to be deployed elsewhere (except for training exercises). The Swiss military department maintains

2343-622: The Swiss Armed Forces are led by the Chief of the Armed Forces ( Chef der Armee ), who reports to the head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport and to the Swiss Federal Council as a whole. The current Chief of the Armed Forces is Lieutenant-General ( Korpskommandant ) Thomas Süssli . Lt-Gen Süssli replaced Lieutenant-General ( Korpskommandant ) Philippe Rebord on 1 January 2020. In times of crisis or war,

2414-627: The Swiss Hornet fleet reached the 50,000 flight hours milestone. In 2017, the Swiss Hornet fleet reached the 100,000 flight hours milestone as well as 20 years of flight operations. Previously, the Swiss Air Force did not maintain 24/7 operational readiness status in peacetime, owing to the limited budget and staff available. The Swiss Air Force worked on extending the operational times in 2016, aiming to be maintaining readiness for two armed jet fighters round-the-clock by 2020. On 31 December 2020,

2485-643: The age of 18 for military conscription eligibility screening. About two-thirds of young Swiss men are found suitable for service, while alternative service exists for those found unsuitable. Annually, approximately 20,000 persons undergo basic training for 18 weeks (23 weeks for special forces). In 2003, the reform "Army XXI" replaced the previous model "Army 95" and was adopted by popular vote, reducing manpower from 400,000 to about 200,000 personnel, with 120,000 receiving periodic military training and 80,000 reservists who have completed their total military training requirements. A further reform effective in 2018 heralded

2556-452: The armed forces altogether. A notable referendum on the subject was held on 26 November 1989 and, although defeated, did see a significant percentage of the voters in favour of such an initiative. However, a similar referendum, called for before, but held shortly after the 11 September attacks in 2001 in the US, was defeated by over 77% of voters. In 1989, the status of the army as a national icon

2627-425: The army was called in to crush a strike of workers at the Gotthard tunnel . Four workers were killed and 13 were severely wounded. Paragraph 19 of the revised constitution of 1874 extended the definition of the federal army to every able-bodied male citizen, which would have swollen the size of the army, had it not been replaced by later revisions, from under 150,000 to more than 700,000, with population growth during

2698-481: The army's dissolution in late 2001 received a mere 21.9% support. Nevertheless, the army was shrunk again in 2004, to 220,000 men ("Armee XXI"), including the reserves . In 2016, the Swiss Federal Assembly voted to further reduce the army from 140,000 men to 100,000 men, reducing the time of basic training from 21 weeks to 18, but also to increase the military budget by 2.4 billion Swiss francs . In 2022,

2769-478: The army's reputation, leading to persistent calls for its abolition among left-wing politicians. In both the 1918 and the 1932 incidents, the troops deployed were consciously selected from rural regions such as the Berner Oberland , fanning the enmity between the traditionally conservative rural population and the urban working class. The third complete mobilization of the army took place during World War II under

2840-467: The caverns. However, a significant part of these fortifications was dismantled between the 1980s and during the "Army 95" reformation. The most important fortifications are located at Saint-Maurice , Gotthard Pass area and Sargans . The fortification on the west side of the Rhône at Saint-Maurice has not been used by the army since the beginning of the 1990s. The east side (Savatan) is still in use. During

2911-453: The chariot had become obsolete as a tool of war, there still was a need for technological innovations in pulling technologies as larger horses were needed to pull heavier loads of both supplies and weapons. The invention of the horse collar in China during the 5th century ( Southern and Northern Dynasties ) allowed horses to pull greater weight than they could when hitched to a vehicle by means of

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2982-474: The civilian engineer who designed the bridge plans the demolition as a military officer. Hidden guns are aimed to prevent enemy forces from attempting to rebuild. Permanent fortifications were established in the Alps , as bases from which to retake the fertile valleys after a potential invasion. They include underground air bases that are adjacent to normal runways; the aircraft, crew and supporting material are housed in

3053-627: The command of Henri Guisan (see also Switzerland during the World Wars ). The Patrouille des Glaciers race, created to test the abilities of soldiers, was created during the war. In the 1960s and 1970s, the armed forces were organised according to the "Armee 61" structure. Horse mounted cavalry (specifically dragoons ) were retained for combat roles until 1973, and were the last non-ceremonial horse cavalry in Europe, as were bicycle infantry battalions until 2001. Since 1989, there have been several attempts to curb military activity or even abolish

3124-410: The constitution of 1874 removed all remaining discriminatory measures. A major manoeuvre commanded in 1912 by Ulrich Wille , a reputed Germanophile , convinced visiting European heads of state, in particular Kaiser Wilhelm II , of the efficacy and determination of Swiss defences. Wille was subsequently put in command of the second complete mobilization in 1914, and Switzerland escaped invasion in

3195-426: The country running in case of emergencies. Every family or rental agency has to pay a replacement tax to support these shelters, or alternatively own a personal shelter in their place of residence; many private shelters serve as wine cellars and closets. Thousands of tunnels, highways, railroads, and bridges are built with tank traps and primed with demolition charges to be used against invading forces; often,

3266-510: The course of World War I . Wille also ordered the suppression of the 1918 general strike ( Landesstreik ) with military force. Three workers were killed, and a rather larger number of soldiers died of the Spanish flu during mobilization. In 1932, the army was called to suppress an anti-fascist demonstration in Geneva. The troops shot dead 13 demonstrators, wounding another 65. This incident long damaged

3337-527: The district from which they originated. They had also been known as the race welsche . 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. The Marché-Concours des Chevaux in Saignelégier ,

3408-618: The early 19th century, but do participate in international peacekeeping missions . Switzerland is part of the NATO Partnership for Peace programme. The regulations of the Swiss militia system stipulate that the soldiers keep their own personal equipment, including all personally assigned weapons, at home or in an armoury; until 2007 this also included ammunition. Compulsory military service applies to all male Swiss citizens, with women serving voluntarily. Males usually receive initial orders at

3479-405: The early nineteenth century, there were active breeders in the district of Franches-Montagnes . In 1817, there were 4000 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

3550-475: The elderly and other activities removed from military connotations. Civilian service lasts 340 days, 50% longer than a soldier's regular army service. People determined unfit for service, where fitness is defined as "satisfying physical, intellectual and psychological requirements for military service or civil protection service and being capable of accomplishing these services without harming oneself or others", are exempted from service, but pay 11 installments of

3621-493: The expansion of the domestic horse throughout Europe was little short of explosive. In the space of possibly 500 years, there is evidence of horse-drawn chariots in Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. By another 500 years, the horse-drawn chariot had spread to China. Horses may have been driven even earlier. The Standard of Ur , in ancient Sumer , c. 2500 BC, shows horses or some type of onager or donkey hitched to wheeled carts with

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3692-629: The field by their distinctive yellow beret. The SHQSU is not the same as the more publicized Swisscoy , which is the Swiss Army Mission to Kosovo. In its first military deployment since 1815, Switzerland deployed 31 soldiers to Afghanistan in 2003, and two Swiss officers had worked with German troops. Swiss forces were withdrawn in February 2008. Switzerland is part of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC), which

3763-652: The intercepted content for information of interest. On 8 January 2006 the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick (Sunday edition of the Blick newspaper) published a secret report produced by the Swiss government using data intercepted by Onyx. The report described a fax sent by the Egyptian department of Foreign Affairs to the Egyptian Embassy in London , and described the existence of secret detention facilities ( black sites ) run by

3834-480: The mid-19th century for hauling ore in California , and large teams of horses were often needed to pull the heaviest types of horse artillery . The animals in a large team have different tasks. The wheelers are the pair (or in tandem, the single animal) closest to the vehicle. They provide the main braking effort, slowing the vehicle and controlling it downhill by pulling back on the pole or shafts. The strength of

3905-400: The most weight for a short distance. In horse show competition, the following general categories of competition are seen: A team is more than one animal used together for draft. The animals may be arranged in various ways. While a single animal is usually placed between two shafts, a pair (two animals) is usually hitched side by side with a single pole between them. A troika

3976-455: The names of Santa Claus's reindeer : Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. While there is some anthropological evidence that horses were ridden before they were driven, the most unequivocal evidence of domestication and use of the horse as a driving animal are the Sintashta chariot burials in the southern Urals, circa 2000 BC. However, shortly thereafter,

4047-474: The ox yokes or breast collars used in earlier times. The horse collar arrived in Europe during the 9th century, and became widespread throughout Europe by the 12th century. With the invention of the automobile , the tractor and other internal combustion vehicles, the need for driving horses diminished, beginning with the end of World War I and to an even greater degree after World War II . However, interest in driving competition for horses continued, with

4118-414: The perceived faults of the native breed – a heavy head, a short neck and a sloping croup – although its overall build was considered good. 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

4189-542: The pole or shafts they cannot provide any braking effort. Wheelers and leaders in a team usually have somewhat different harness: wheelers usually have breeching so they can pull back on the shafts or pole; leaders do not need breeching, and nor do animals pulling a dragged load such as a plow (where all the animals are effectively leaders). Wheelers may not need breeching in very light vehicles, or those with efficient brakes. Historically, very heavy loads were sometimes controlled downhill by additional pairs hitched behind

4260-447: The rate is generally higher in urban cantons such as Zurich and Geneva than in rural ones. Swiss citizens living abroad are generally exempted from conscription in peacetime. Dual citizenship does not grant exemption. On 22 September 2013, a referendum was held that aimed to abolish conscription in Switzerland. With a turnout of 47% on this particular question, over 73% voted against eliminating conscription. In peacetime,

4331-599: The reduction of forces to 100,000 members. The land component of the Swiss Armed Forces originated from the cantonal troops of the Old Swiss Confederacy , called upon in cases of external threats by the Tagsatzung or by the canton in distress. In the federal treaty of 1815, the Tagsatzung prescribed cantonal troops to put a contingent of 2% of the population of each canton at the federation's disposition, amounting to

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4402-671: The small number of Romansh -speaking recruits are instructed in German. In contrast to most other comparable armed forces, officers are generally not career regulars. Under the most recent army reform, all soldiers complete a full recruit school of 18 weeks. During the initial 18-week training period, recruits may volunteer for consideration to continue with NCO training. After the completion of NCO training, individuals are promoted to sergeant and integrated into platoons at recruit schools as squad leaders ( Gruppenchefs , Chefs de Groupe , Capogruppi ). Squad leaders support their platoon commanders for

4473-558: The total number of such horses was decreasing rapidly, with a remaining stock of about 300 mares and 30 stallions . In 2003 a conservation programme for the original type was established by the interest group, in collaboration with ProSpecieRara and with the Haras National Suisse  [ fr ] at Avenches . The Freiberger is variable in type, from a riding horse to a light draught horse conformation. Mares average 550 kg in weight and 147 cm in height at

4544-501: The type that destroyed Hamburg and Dresden . In the 1960s they began constructing radiation and blast shelters that could survive one to three bars (100–300 kPa) of pressure from a nuclear explosion. Building codes require blast shelters, which are said to be able to accommodate 114% of the Swiss population. Small towns have large underground parking garages that can serve as sealed community shelters. There are also hospitals and command centres in such shelters, aimed at keeping

4615-408: The vehicle. Such additional pairs were often hired to passing vehicles to help them either up or down a particularly steep hill. A particular pair of horses are often worked together all the time. They also may often be hitched the same way as well – each animal always placed on the right-hand or left-hand side. Traditionally, pairs are often given paired names, as in the well-known example of

4686-422: The wheelers is often the limiting factor in determining the maximum safe load for a vehicle – while all the animals can pull uphill, only the wheelers can hold the vehicle downhill. For this reason, the strongest pair in a team may be chosen as the wheelers. Wheelers also steer the vehicle by turning the pole or shafts. The leaders are all the animals in front of the wheelers. As they are also in front of

4757-628: The world they still pull carts , wagons , horse-drawn boats or logs for basic hauling and transportation. They may draw carriages at ceremonies, such as when the British monarch is Trooping the Colour , as well as in parades or for tourist rides. Horses can race in harness , pulling a very lightweight one-person cart known as a sulky . At the other end of the spectrum, some draft horses compete in horse pulling competitions, where single or teams of horses and their drivers vie to determine who can pull

4828-499: Was created to monitor the armistice between North and South Korea . Since the responsibilities of the NNSC have been much reduced over the past few years, only five people are still part of the Swiss delegation, which is located near the Korean DMZ . Driving (horse) Driving , when applied to horses , ponies , mules , or donkeys , is a broad term for hitching equines to

4899-623: Was established. Although the Freiberger breed is not at risk, with an estimated total population in 2017 of about 30 000 , of which approximately 25 000 were in Switzerland, the original type – those with 2% or less of foreign blood – is endangered . An interest group for the preservation of this stock was formed in 1996 as the Interessengemeinschaft zur Erhaltung des Original Freiberger Pferdes or Communauté d’intérêt pour le maintien du cheval originel des Franches-Montagnes . In 1999

4970-446: Was shaken by a popular initiative aiming at its complete dissolution (see: Group for a Switzerland without an Army ) receiving 35.6% support. This triggered a series of reforms and, in 1995, the number of troops was reduced to 400,000 ("Armee 95"). Article 58.1 of the 1999 constitution repeats that the army is "in principle" organized as a militia, implicitly allowing a small number of professional soldiers. A second initiative aimed at

5041-531: Was superseded by the " Armee 95 " structure and thereafter the " Armee XXI " structure. Since the Army XXI reform in 2004, the basic structure of the Army has been reorganised in the following units: infantry brigades (2 and 5); mountain infantry brigades (9 and 12); armoured brigades (1 and 11). Additionally two large reserve brigades (Infantry Brigade 7 and Mountain Brigade 10) exist. Four territorial divisions link

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