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Our Team

Martin Douzant

Martin Douzant

Head Trainer & Owner
Martin Douzant, from Vaucluse in the heart of Provence, France, has a degree in Teaching and Riding from Sport Études de Castelnaudary, the illustrious equestrian high school in Toulouse After graduating Martin went on to work for Olympic medalist Ian Stark. With deep knowledge and experience starting young horses, as well as a passion for furthering the classical education of both horses and riders, Martin was able to open the doors of The Frame Sport Horses USA in early 2008 in France and in The Plains, Virginia in 2015.

Joe DeSantis

Associate Trainer & Young Horse Program Director
Originally from Pennsylvania, Joe has a background in jumpers, showing across the East Coast and working at Spy Coast Farm in Kentucky. His passion for young horses brought him to The Frame Sport Horses in 2020 to train under Martin. As associate trainer and young horse program director, Joe focuses on backing, starting, and developing young horses, including OTTBs and those not yet ridden by their owners. He and Martin share a similar training philosophy and management approach.

Saerina Stropko

Barn Manager
Saerina's passion for horses began at age five, sparked by her aunt’s introduction to the equestrian world. She joined The Frame Sport Horses when her young dressage filly, Ophelia, was ready to be backed. With a strong dressage foundation, she is now exploring eventing with her leased OTTB, Mo. Her experience as a barn manager and exercise rider for a private foxhunting farm adds valuable skills in conditioning horses, and she’s excited to keep learning with TFSH.

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Working Student Program

Experience top-tier equestrian training rooted in the European system at The Frame Sport Horses. Our program emphasizes holistic development for both horse and rider, offering hands-on experience in:

Training & Development:

  • Breaking and starting young horses
  • Preparing horses for eventing, jumpers, and fox hunting

Comprehensive Learning:

  • Work with a range of horses, from promising young prospects to seasoned competitors
  • Receive personalized mentorship from a supportive, experienced team

Career Growth:

  • Build essential skills for a professional equestrian career
  • Immerse yourself in a dynamic, educational environment

This is the perfect opportunity for dedicated individuals passionate about advancing their equestrian knowledge and career.

Join Working Student Program

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Testimonials

Finding Martin has been a turning point in my riding career. As an adult rider moving to a new area, I found it hard to find a program that suited both my horse and me. I had lost confidence and felt out of the game. A few months training with The Frame got me back into the show ring and completing my first recognized event! Martin excels both at flatwork and jumping exercises. My mare can be sensitive, and he was quick to figure her out and come up with a program that suited both her and my needs. He understands the importance of establishing a solid foundation and has the skills necessary to work with both horses and riders to make it happen.

Beth Zeilinski

Martin is a top notch trainer with a strength in bringing along horses and riders correctly with a solid foundation. He's patient and kind to both horse and rider, extremely knowledgeable, and offers high quality care to his boarders. He's both a great rider and teacher with good communication skills. It's a lighthearted atmosphere with serious horsemanship best combo!

Amy Potter

Martin Douzant is an excellent trainer, he truly considers the horse and at the same time makes the horse rideable for the owner.

Melanie Voght

Martin has done just a super job preparing my Training Level event horse for sale. His attention to detail and focus on the horse's individual needs is outstanding and backed up by a wealth of education and experience. Martin's ride is always calm and focused, he has a plan and a program for each horse that is a classical progression which builds the strength, understanding, confidence and knowledge the horse needs to succeed. I am most impressed!!

Kate Simmeth

I had a very difficult big young horse, who had thrown a few trainers. I searched the local area and found Martin who, without a doubt, had the quietest aids! I chose him to train my young horse and I have never been disappointed. He has done an excellent job of taming the beast, who will always be a challenge but not for Martin. As a rider and trainer, he is talented, patient and remains calm in very difficult situations unflappable, even at a show with 6 horses to ride back to back. Martin is a joy to work with, highly skilled as a trainer with a nice sense of humor and a willingness to fit in when schedules change. I have had horses in training with Martin for over 2 years, he is wonderful and incredibly hard working. My four-year old, who had only been jumping for six weeks with Martin riding him, went to Upperville this year and received the reserve champion for the 4-5yr old division. Having worked in the Virginia horse industry for 30 years, I consider him one of the best trainers.

Georgina Price-Spencer

We recently purchased a young horse from The Frame Sport Horses and what a truly wonderful experience it was! When looking to purchase a horse, there is the potential for it to be a stressful experience a hard-pressure sell, uncertainty about the horse's background and experience. Yet every time we looked at one of Martin's horses, my family and I remarked on what a relaxed and enjoyable experience it was. Never once did we feel pressured or rushed in the slightest. Our trainer and vet both found him to be extremely knowledgeable and a true delight to work with as well. It was apparent he has a great deal of integrity and there was never a doubt that his ultimate desire was not to simply sell a horse, but rather to ensure we found the best fit for our daughter. The horse we purchased, which is one Martin hand-picked, is an absolute pleasure to have in our barn and truly exceeds our expectations. We would refer fellow equestrians to The Frame Sport Horses again and again!

Ann Martin

About

We bring distinctive abilities and expertise to training horses, from those just starting out to the highest levels of competition across the sport horse disciplines-dressage, show jumping, eventing, and more.

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