Some horses have been taught to stop with a look down. The horse in the video below is especially wired to the “look down” cue. This is causing issues with his progress in relaxation and balance while lunging.
Firstly, he is anxiously awaiting the look down cue so that he can stop. This causes him to not relax into a rhythm.
Secondly, turning suddenly causes the horse to fall in on the inside shoulder. It is much better for his balance to stop on the circle line (without turning off the circle).
Here is a tip for reprogramming a horse that has been trained to do the turn in and stop manoeuvre. When teaching a new horse to lunge, this method of walking in to meet them is also a good way to get the horse to understand to stay on the circle to stop.
Kahu Creek Ranch 