"What Happened at the Stables" is a feature story I photographed in November for Bloomberg Businessweek, which published online on March 10, 2022 and in print the same week. Writer Olivia Carville spent months working on the story, which details the issue of sexual abuse by elite equestrian trainers towards their young students. The article also examines the backlash within the community towards SafeSport, an organization created by Congress to investigate reports of sexual abuse within competitive athletic fields and hold perpetrators accountable. SafeSport was created following the revelation of the extensive sexual abuse committed by Larry Nassar, the former doctor of the US women's national gymnastics team, who used his position to abuse hundreds of girls and young women for 18 years.

The story examines the experiences of two women in particular, who have become flashpoints in the response to SafeSport within the elite equestrian community. Now 19, Maggie Kehring is an equestrian who has competed internationally for the United States. She recounts being coerced into a relationship with her coach, Rich Fellers, after repeatedly saying no, beginning when she was 16, and he was 60. Their relationship ended in June 2020. Following multiple reports to SafeSport, they completed an investigation, and Fellers was suspended from the sport. When SafeSport referred the case to the Oregon police, he was arrested on four counts of second-degree sexual abuse. The age of consent in Oregon is 18. His trial date is expected to be set in April. A fierce advocate for her daughter, Maggie's mother Carrie Kehring started a campaign, We Ride Together, to support all athletes who are survivors of sexual abuse.

Hillary Ridland, a Grand Prix champion who is married to the coach of the US Olympic show jumping team, at the Rancho Polo Equestrian Club. She was abused by her trainer, Rob Gage, beginning at the age of 13. When allegations came out against him decades later from multiple accusers, including Ridland's sister, SafeSport investigated and banned him from the sport. The day before his scheduled arbitration hearing, Gage died by suicide at his barn. His death sparked a backlash in the equestrian community against SafeSport and his accusers.