The Fédération suisse du franches-montagnes (FSFM) is an association within the meaning of articles 60ff of the Swiss Civil Code. It was founded in 1997. Since 1999, it has been recognized as an official breeding organization by the Federal Office for Agriculture on the basis of the Federal Ordinance on Breeding. The Fédération suisse du franches-montagnes is made up of collective ordinary members, individual ordinary members, extraordinary members and honorary members.

Ordinary members include both individual ordinary members and collective ordinary members. Collective ordinary members are breeding syndicates and organizations that recognize and observe the breeding program and related instructions, and whose affiliates breed horses of the Franches-Montagnes breed. Breeders are, in principle, members of the breeding syndicate where they live. Ordinary individual members are breeders of Franches-Montagnes horses who are not members of a breeding syndicate or organization, and who recognize and comply with the breeding program and related instructions.
Extraordinary members are:

• a) regional or cantonal associations of breeding syndicates or organizations of the Franches-Montagnes horse which support the efforts of the Swiss Franches-Montagnes Federation;

• b) other organizations which support the breeding of the Franches-Montagnes horse and promote its use.

Honorary members are persons who have given special support to the promotion of horses of the Franches-Montagnes breed.

All individual ordinary members form a collective ordinary member in accordance with these Articles of Association.

The Fédération suisse du franches-montagnes is the holder of the original herd book of the breed.

The aims of the Fédération suisse du franches-montagnes are to develop, encourage and promote the breeding and use of horses of the Franches-Montagnes breed. In its activities, the Swiss Federation of the Franches-Montagnes gives priority to the principle of purebred breeding.

The Swiss Federation of the Franches-Montagnes achieves its aims by developing:

• a breeding program and herdbook regulations;

• a strategy for action at regular intervals;

• a marketing and promotion concept.

The Swiss Federation of the Franches-Montagnes also carries out the following activities:

• keeping the herd book;

• organizing selection and performance trials as well as competitions for the various horse categories;

• participating in events (breeding and promotional) and exhibitions;

• promoting training and showcasing horses;

• the training of horse breeders and users as well as people active in the bodies of the Swiss Franches-Montagnes Federation;

• technical and economic advice to breeding unions and organizations, horse breeders and users.